Five+ level stacks

[wxfree]

I can't determine whether the big interchange near Weston, Florida, of I-75, I-595, and FL-869 would qualify. There appear to be five levels looking at it, but its shape is somewhat different from what you usually think of as a stack.

Going from lowest to highest with a couple of ramps omitted from the list:

(1) I-75 thru movement
(2) I-75 to I-595 (plus frontage roads) and vice versa
(3) I-75 to FL-869 and vice versa
(4) Westbound I-595 to southbound I-75; southbound I-75 to northbound FL-869
(5) Southbound FL-869 to eastbound I-595

https://www.google.com/maps/@26.1190859,-80.349986,1924m/data=!3m1!1e3

I'd call that a 5-level.  Here's my interpretation, using one example to establish each level.

1. I-75
2. I-75 to I-595
3. nouth-south main lanes
4. I-75 to FL 869
5. FL 869 to I-595

3, 4, and 5 are nearly vertical, and 2 goes below 3 and above 1.

[NE2]

Don't forget that 1 goes over Weston Road. And Weston Road goes over the New River. 7 levels!

[kphoger]

My reason for excluding frontage roads (maybe not for level count purposes, but for comparative purposes) is that it gives a biased advantage toward places that use frontage roads.  Texas will naturally have more five-levels because we have so many frontage roads.  Does that mean we like bigger interchanges or does it mean we like frontage roads?  Should a similar interchange without frontage roads be held in lower regard?

Yes on all counts. Texas undeniably loves big interchanges, and it also undeniably loves frontage roads. And I do hold big interchanges with no frontage roads in lower esteem. The impressiveness of a five-level stack is not diminished by the apparent reason it had to be five levels instead of four. And a three- or four-level interchange is not somehow redeemed by that location's lack of tricky bits.

[dfwmapper]

I view the I-35W at I-20 interchange to be more impressive in terms of the number of levels, because all levels are access-controlled.

That's a strange one, in that it seems better to put the westbound to southbound ramp on the third level and shift it to the southeast so it doesn't cross the opposing left turn twice. Any idea why they did it this way? It seems to have replaced the original cloverleaf all at once, so it can't be for historical reasons.
[/quote]
Space/grade constraints crossing under roads/rails within a half mile on the west, south, and east sides of the interchange maybe? Moving the WB to SB ramp southeast would require 2 sharper curves to fit it into the gap. Moving to EB to NB ramp northwest would require the NB to WB ramp to have a steeper descent, and the SB to EB ramp to have a steeper ascent.

[lepidopteran]

Detroit: I-96 (Jeffries Fwy) and M-39 (Southfield Fwy). Surface roads and a railroad seem to give it 5 at some points.

Dayton: I-75 and US-35 might be a 4.5 at best.  Two railroads skirt the interchange to the north and west, but just miss it.  A rail spur used to run under it just to the south as well, but that was abandoned and the underpass filled in with the recent construction (along with a nearby exit and entrance ramp).

[NE2]

Detroit: I-96 (Jeffries Fwy) and M-39 (Southfield Fwy). Surface roads and a railroad seem to give it 5 at some points.

I'm not seeing it. The railroad and surface roads all appear to be at the same level as I-96.

Dayton: I-75 and US-35 might be a 4.5 at best.  Two railroads skirt the interchange to the north and west, but just miss it.  A rail spur used to run under it just to the south as well, but that was abandoned and the underpass filled in with the recent construction (along with a nearby exit and entrance ramp).

Again, the railroads crossing US 35 are at the level of I-75, and then go down to ground (US 35) level to go under I-75.

[vtk]

Yeah, I already checked the Dayton one, and I agree it's no more than four.

[Bickendan]

I-90's double decks at I-5 is making it difficult for me to parse. 4 or 5?

[NE2]

I-90's double decks at I-5 is making it difficult for me to parse. 4 or 5?

3.

[Bickendan]

I-90's double decks at I-5 is making it difficult for me to parse. 4 or 5?

3.

You're not counting the ramps to the street network then?

[NE2]

I-90's double decks at I-5 is making it difficult for me to parse. 4 or 5?

3.

You're not counting the ramps to the street network then?

The Airport Way exit begins at ground level. It rises to level 1 as it passes over northbound Airport Way and under the I-5 north to I-90 west ramp (which is at level 2 here but lowers to level 1 before merging into I-90) and the I-90 east to I-5 south ramp.
The Dearborn Street exit is all at ground level. The entrance begins at ground level and rises to level 1 to cross over several northbound ramps.
I don't see any other local access.

The 12th Avenue bridge over I-90 may be 4 levels due to I-90 being built into the side of the hill that 12th Avenue flies off of. But nothing crosses over I-90 at I-5, and the bus lanes rise to level 2.

[jakeroot]

Junction 6 of the M6 Motorway just outside Birmingham. Five levels. Probably the tallest junction in the UK:

[Brandon]

Don't bother looking in Illinois.  There's nothing over 3 levels here.

[NE2]

Junction 6 of the M6 Motorway just outside Birmingham. Five levels. Probably the tallest junction in the UK:

I see only three levels (four if you count the canal).

[jakeroot]

Junction 6 of the M6 Motorway just outside Birmingham. Five levels. Probably the tallest junction in the UK:

I see only three levels (four if you count the canal).

Presuming you count the ground level street and roundabout (as you must), there's at least four.

[Revive 755]

Don't bother looking in Illinois.  There's nothing over 3 levels here.

Not stacks but two interchanges in East St. Louis get up to four levels

* I-55/I-64 at the MLK Bridge Aerial photo)
1) SB I-55
2) Local Street
3) NB I-55 and ramps to/from the MLK Bridge.
4) Ramp from the MLK Bridge to the right side of NB I-55

* I-55/I-64/I-70 (Aerial photo
1) EB I-64/NB I-55
2) IL 3/St. Clair Avenue
3) SB I-55
4) I-70 Connectors

Additionally, it appears the Circle Interchange will make it to four levels when the new NB to WB ramp is completed.

[NE2]

Presuming you count the ground level street and roundabout (as you must), there's at least four.

How? There are three at the roundabout, but both bridge levels there come down to ground level (except for the canal) before passing under the M6.

[NE2]

* I-55/I-64 at the MLK Bridge Aerial photo)
1) SB I-55
2) Local Street
3) NB I-55 and ramps to/from the MLK Bridge.
4) Ramp from the MLK Bridge to the right side of NB I-55

Too much horizontal separation between the two three-level crossings of 1-2-3A/4 and 2-3B-4 for it to count IMO. (I'm calling the MLK ramps 3A and I-55 northbound 3B.)

* I-55/I-64/I-70 (Aerial photo
1) EB I-64/NB I-55
2) IL 3/St. Clair Avenue
3) SB I-55
4) I-70 Connectors

This one definitely counts now that level 4 exists, but your other descriptions are a bit off:
1 I-55 north
2 ramp from I-55 south to I-64 east
3 I-64 west
4 I-70 east

[jakeroot]

Presuming you count the ground level street and roundabout (as you must), there's at least four.

How? There are three at the roundabout, but both bridge levels there come down to ground level (except for the canal) before passing under the M6.

Hmm. Yeah, three levels. I wonder why so many websites list it as 5 levels.

[NE2]

Maybe they mean 5 storeys (~50 feet).

[SSOWorld]

Don't bother looking in Illinois.  There's nothing over 3 levels here.

Same for Wisconsin outside Milwaukee, Minnesota and Iowa.

[jakeroot]

Maybe they mean 5 storeys (~50 feet).

I think that's a sound assumption.

[cl94]

You'd be hard-pressed to find anything over 4 in the northeast. New York only has 3 stacks (all pure 4-levels) and while other interchanges get up to 4, you won't get over unless there's something major I'm missing.

[SSOWorld]

The 5+'s seem to be limited to Texas, California and Arizona.