Favorite On-ramps and Off-ramps

[thefraze_1020]

Forgive me if this topic already exists. I tried searching and found no related threads.

Sometimes, in the monotony of freeways, there is an on-ramp that stands out, because it is fun to drive, it has a great view, or it is especially easy to accelerate to freeway speed without much effort.

Likewise, there are off-ramps for similar reasons. My truck that I drive daily is a 5-speed, so I have an appreciation for off-ramps that I can coast down in neutral, and don't need a lot of braking.

So, what are your favorite ramps and why?

One off-ramp close-by that I like is I-5 northbound at Exit 229, George Hopper Road in Burlington. I usually get off the freeway there on my way home from work, when I need to get gas at the Costco just off the freeway. This ramp is set up so that I get some speed going coming down off the Skagit River bridge, then enough speed that I can coast back up the ramp to the stoplight. Sometimes, if the lights are all timed just right, I can coast in neutral all the way into the Costco parking lot.

https://www.google.com/maps/@48.4476849,-122.3410559,3a,35.7y,1.82h,83.42t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s9p-BLGkYL5gxU9zZSaFgJA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en&authuser=0

I also like I-5 southbound to the West Seattle Freeway at Exit 163A (this is the one at the old Rainier Brewery). When I am going to head west towards West Seattle, I can coast down this off-ramp, and the view of the city is great too.

https://www.google.com/maps/@47.5741014,-122.3203416,3a,75y,194.72h,90.96t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sh3OJVt5qIwPj-TgNAH74EA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3Dh3OJVt5qIwPj-TgNAH74EA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D80.01686%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en&authuser=0

I-5 southbound at Exit 162 to Corson Ave and Michigan Street for similar reasons.

https://www.google.com/maps/@47.5527995,-122.3187401,3a,75y,166.92h,87.26t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s-tEKMe9nVhVmf936WwwhtQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en&authuser=0

My all-time favorite ramp in Washington is the Boeing Freeway, SR 526 eastbound to I-5 northbound in south Everett. I usually get some good speed off it, by the time I merge onto I-5 mainline.

https://www.google.com/maps/@47.920585,-122.2064946,3a,75y,57.67h,86.32t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sqgrjwTx6Uj685Ks5QT6fAQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DqgrjwTx6Uj685Ks5QT6fAQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D55.034992%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en&authuser=0

What are your favorites?

[webny99]

NY 31 westbound to I-590 northbound.
Completely free flowing, no conflicting movements, and only about a 25-30 degree angle, so you hardly even have to move the steering wheel. The crowning touch is the extended acceleration lane, you can cruise right onto the freeway and worry about merging later. You hardly even notice the transition!

[vdeane]

I like the ramp from US 9/20 to the City of Rensselaer.  It loops around and while it does you get a great view of the Albany skyline, the circle interchange (which itself is fun to drive), and the USS Slater.  Later, if you turn your head at the right time, you can see the stub for the South Mall Expressway.

[CtrlAltDel]

Other than the ones near my house, where I start or end all my trips, I like the entrance ramps at exit 284 on I-80 in Walcott, IA. They're just about a mile long each, with plenty of room to get up to speed and merge, likely due to the presence of the Iowa 80 truck stop at this exit.

[ilpt4u]

The one that the Illinois Nazis go flying off of in Blues Brothers!

Does anyone here know what ramp that is? As a kid I thought it was the Stevenson/LSD Interchange, but watching it closer, I'm not sure that is it now

[Big John]

^^ That was shot in Milwaukee. I-794 to Lakeshore I believe.

[TheHighwayMan3561]

My favorite in MSP is probably the ramp from eastbound I-394 to westbound I-94 in downtown Minneapolis. You get a great sweeping view of downtown as you swoop downward into the maze of bridges above you.

Others:
I-494 westbound to US 169 southbound
The express-lane ramps at 394 and MN 100
Michigan St to northbound I-35 in Duluth

[Rothman]

Flyover from I-84 East to I-91 North.  Took care of a ridiculous on-city-street "connection."

[Beltway]

The I-295 flyover ramp between I-64 and I-295, west of Richmond, VA

Two-lane ramp built in 2009 to replace the original one-lane loop ramp.  Negotiable at 65 mph.

[thspfc]

I-39/90/94 S/EB to I-94 EB in Madison. If you look back, you can see the lake and the "skyline" (the capitol and a bunch of apartment buildings).

I-94 EB to Zoo NB at the Zoo Interchange.

Anything along the downtown stretch of I-794, and the Marquette Interchange.

Another vote for EB I-394 to WB I-94 in Minneapolis.

[LM117]

I have fond memories of the launch pad ramp from NC-222 to I-795 South in Fremont, NC during my teenage years when I lived in town.

[ET21]

I would probably say IL-56 spur from westbound I-88, mainly due to the scenery change you find. It pretty much shows the dividing line from suburbs to farmland.

Otherwise any ramp on the I-55/I-90/I-94 interchange/Chinatown feeder system. https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8480438,-87.6478824,15z

[1995hoo]

I like Exit 1C from southbound I-395 to the Outer Loop of the Capital Beltway because it's a long flyover to the left (that replaced a bumpy, potholed old cloverleaf-style loop-around) and I can take the ramp at 50—55 mph depending on which car I'm driving and on whether someone else is ahead of me.

In terms of ramps that are favorites for other reasons, vdeane in particular will think I'm crazy for this, but northbound Exit 24 on the Thruway comes to mind and the reason has nothing to do with the ramp itself per se. Rather, it's a favorite because it's sort of a milestone when we hit that ramp whenever we're heading north–it marks the point where we finally exit the Thruway and the "northeastern toll road complex" to head up the Northway towards Quebec. I love driving through the mountains on the Northway and hitting Exit 24 means we're nearing that part of the trip. (I guess it's sort of like how when I was a kid, my mom liked reaching the southern end of the Jersey Turnpike on the way home from New York because even though it was only the halfway point of the trip, she felt like getting out of Jersey represented a major chunk of the drive being over.)

[webny99]

In terms of ramps that are favorites for other reasons, vdeane in particular will think I'm crazy for this, but northbound Exit 24 on the Thruway comes to mind and the reason has nothing to do with the ramp itself per se. Rather, it's a favorite because it's sort of a milestone when we hit that ramp whenever we're heading north–it marks the point where we finally exit the Thruway and the "northeastern toll road complex" to head up the Northway towards Quebec. I love driving through the mountains on the Northway and hitting Exit 24 means we're nearing that part of the trip. (I guess it's sort of like how when I was a kid, my mom liked reaching the southern end of the Jersey Turnpike on the way home from New York because even though it was only the halfway point of the trip, she felt like getting out of Jersey represented a major chunk of the drive being over.)

I don't think that's crazy. I have the same sort of feeling when returning from the East Coast once we get past Scranton. South and east of there, it's crowded, you never know how traffic is going to be, etc. We have a sort of running joke that it's impossible to go to the East Coast and back without encountering some sort of stop and go traffic or significant slowdown. So it's a sigh of relief once you get to the final stretch of I-81 heading into Binghamton, and you can cruise into familiar territory, now past the most frustrating and unpredictable part of the trip. Once the CSVT project is complete, getting past Harrisburg will probably elicit similar feelings.

[Henry]

The Circle Interchange has always been my favorite, because on at least two ramps (eastbound I-90/I-94 to Congress Parkway and eastbound I-290 to westbound I-90/I-94), you get a close-up view of the Chicago skyline when it is clear. Another favorite of mine is the Rapid-Fire ramps that lie to the immediate north on I-90/I-94.

[inkyatari]

I've always been partial to the Lake Shore Drive northbound to I-55 Southbound ramp.

The Chicago Skyline ahead, Lake Michigan to the right...

[roadman]

My favorite set of ramps has always been the stack interchange on I-84 in Farmington that was originally built as part of I-291, which was later cancelled.  I have memories of passing through that interchange on I-84 in the late 1960s on family trips down the East Coast.  Although none of the ramps were opened to traffic, I recall that full overhead sign structures, complete with blank sign panels, were in place, as were luminaries on all the ramps.

[jaehak]

I've always been partial to the Lake Shore Drive northbound to I-55 Southbound ramp.

The Chicago Skyline ahead, Lake Michigan to the right...

That's a good one. Bonus points for being the Married... With Children interchange.

[wxfree]

This is a strange topic, but I already had an answer.  I like the pair of ramps to and from the Chisholm Trail Parkway near the south end of the road at County Road 1125.  This is near the intersection with SH 171, but there's no access to or from the highway because that would require crossing the railroad.  The ramps instead go to the county road nearby and climb (or descend) somewhat steeply to cross above the highway and railroad.  This half-interchange isn't suitable for larger vehicles, but the terminus of the road at US 67 is nearby for trucks to use.  It isn't especially fancy, but it's an interesting solution, connecting two main roads by a minor road, and it eliminates a possible signal along SH 171.  It also results in four bridges, for both ramps and main lanes, above the highway.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir///@32.387777,-97.4176419,496m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

[roadman]

I've always been partial to the Lake Shore Drive northbound to I-55 Southbound ramp.

The Chicago Skyline ahead, Lake Michigan to the right...

That's a good one. Bonus points for being the Married... With Children interchange.

Also the National Lampoon's Vacation interchange.

[thefraze_1020]

I should mention that I am also partial to all ramps between I-405 and US 30 at the south/west end of the Fremont Bridge in Portland.

[formulanone]

I-595 east to I-95 North, a Hot Wheels-inspired confection whipped up around thirty years ago. Some of the I-595 / Turnpike / FL 84 ramps are the closest thing one gets to elevation changes around those parts, so they stick out in my mind.

[vdeane]

In terms of ramps that are favorites for other reasons, vdeane in particular will think I'm crazy for this, but northbound Exit 24 on the Thruway comes to mind and the reason has nothing to do with the ramp itself per se. Rather, it's a favorite because it's sort of a milestone when we hit that ramp whenever we're heading north–it marks the point where we finally exit the Thruway and the "northeastern toll road complex" to head up the Northway towards Quebec. I love driving through the mountains on the Northway and hitting Exit 24 means we're nearing that part of the trip. (I guess it's sort of like how when I was a kid, my mom liked reaching the southern end of the Jersey Turnpike on the way home from New York because even though it was only the halfway point of the trip, she felt like getting out of Jersey represented a major chunk of the drive being over.)

Now that you mention it, I probably should have included that one in my list.  Sure, it's not the design one would want for an interstate mainline, but as a native of upstate NY, I tend to think more in terms of Thruway/everything else more so than I-87/I-90.  That interchange makes a great gateway, and not just because of the large "welcome to the Capital District" monument next to the toll barrier (exit B1 has one too and it doesn't feel a momentous).  It's literally the start/end of a large percentage of my roadtrips, as just about anything to the south or west will involve it (if you want to add in trips to the east, you need only move one interchange over to the Northway/free 90 junction).

Likewise, the ramp from US 20 east to Fuller Road Alternate (the official name of the short section of Northway south of I-90) for heralding the start of the Northway.  The progression from a one lane ramp, having the other lane come in from the other direction of US 20, milepost 0 when you cross I-90, and then having the traffic (and two more lanes) come from the I-87 and I-90 ramps feels very grand, at least when traffic isn't an issue.

[epzik8]

The ramp from 28th Street to northbound I-83 in Baltimore by Druid Hill. Love it.

[kylebnjmnross]

I really enjoy the ramp from WB (or is it NB?) PA 581 to the Carlisle Pike. Due to the way the mainline curves, you can sort of just glide into the exit lane, and then it's a nice long ramp with ample time to slow down to the 25 MPH-advisory curve. Since this section of 581 was built in the 1990s to what appears to be interstate standards, the ramps are much better designed than the rest of 581 which was built in the 1960s. For instance, the ramp from WB 581 to Central Blvd/Trindle Road is also a 25 MPH-advisory curve, but there is FAR less room to slow down before you enter the curve.