Shortest interstate merges

[STLmapboy]

I-70 in Pennsylvania south of Pittsburgh, although not yet part of the Penna Turnpike, still dates back half a century and bears markers of its era (extremely narrow ROW, concrete median throughout, smallish interchanges, etc.). Although widening/modernization projects are ongoing in places (Washington for example), other parts have barely been touched. I noticed  the shortest merge I've ever seen on any roadway coming onto 70EB from PA-51SB around MM46 (GSV: https://www.google.pl/maps/@40.1559436,-79.7731786,3a,75y,74.22h,76t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s5n_FNE-RyN5LLU4U2bzfgQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192). The merge is so abrupt that the ramp literally has a stopsign. Does anybody else know of unnaturally small merges on the interstate system? If so, post GSV links below! Thank you.

[Ketchup99]

There are lots of ramps ending in stopsigns.

[kphoger]

Already a thread.

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=6221.msg136401#msg136401

[1995hoo]

There are lots of ramps ending in stopsigns.

The BQE is notorious for that.

https://goo.gl/maps/YwNNPpiZ8W21bDYC8

https://goo.gl/maps/rQaG9A3aHRRwosRU9


The worst merge I encounter regularly is in downtown DC from the Ninth Street Tunnel onto northbound I-395. While there is no stop sign, there's also no real merge area. You get dumped into the left lane of I-395 with poor visibility–it's actually easier at night when people theoretically have their headlights on.

https://goo.gl/maps/UQJcTZzKTsbDRiyQ8

[STLmapboy]

Already a thread.

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=6221.msg136401#msg136401

Are we supposed to revive threads from 2012?

[stevashe]

Already a thread.

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=6221.msg136401#msg136401

Are we supposed to revive threads from 2012?

I'd argue this is different anyway. You can have a substandard ramp without having a really short merge, such as the entrance from Exit 201 on I-80 in California (pictured below, merge area highlighted in red).



As for a ramp that meets the criteria of this thread, also on I-80, there's the ramp onto the Bay Bridge westbound, which has basically no merge area for a good reason, since it has to quickly join the freeway between the tunnel and the start of the suspension span. It also features a stop sign like other examples mentioned.

[SeriesE]

These ramps at Fort Tejon on I-5 looks to be very short.

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.8738167,-118.8913776,169m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en

[debragga]

I-20 eastbound in downtown Monroe, LA: https://www.google.com/maps/@32.5001674,-92.1087133,3a,75y,45.67h,70.35t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sgxpecrcmlyKEVQ5YiIVOUg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

There's no stop sign but people often stop at the end of the ramp anyway. Like this semi: https://www.google.com/maps/@32.5000858,-92.1089264,3a,75y,65.02h,79.21t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sa_lBE6nQzrpqMXdK-QgqmA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[kylebnjmnross]

NB PA 181 (George Street) to NB I-83 in York, PA is laughably short because evidently they only wanted to build the bridge 4 lanes wide: https://www.google.com/maps/place/York,+PA/@39.9909927,-76.734216,173m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x89c88bc157ae8561:0x1aacfaea5ef213cd!8m2!3d39.9625984!4d-76.727745?hl=en

Made even worse by the 20 mph curve.

[CardInLex]

Not an interstate, but a freeway nonetheless... KY 4 (New Circle Rd) is signed as "SHORT MERGE AREA"  at several ramps. https://goo.gl/maps/cnQjEuCqFoQRNtt89

[webny99]

The merge is so abrupt that the ramp literally has a stopsign.

Across the border in Canada, this ramp from Pine St. to ON 58 SB says hello.

Otherwise, I think you were on the right track starting out with a PA example. PA is the substandard freeway capital of the country.

[dlsterner]

I was a bit surprised when I took the ramp from PA 61 northbound to I-78 eastbound, and saw how short the ramp was.  Not helping things was the shoulder-less I-78 bridge over the Schuylkill River immediately after the ramp.

Google Street View:   https://www.google.com/maps/@40.5580052,-75.9950409,3a,75y,50.21h,74.25t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s9BsKuAPR1wD_1nAr35dp2w!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

Of course, Pennsylvania is well known for sub-standard Interstate construction.

[webny99]

Of course, Pennsylvania is well known for sub-standard Interstate construction.

Indeed. Welcome to PA!

[TheHighwayMan3561]

Of course, Pennsylvania is well known for sub-standard Interstate construction.

Indeed. Welcome to PA!

I remember being in Pittsburgh in 2007 and seeing stop signs on ramps entering I-279.

[jmacswimmer]

Of course, Pennsylvania is well known for sub-standard Interstate construction.

Indeed. Welcome to PA!

I remember being in Pittsburgh in 2007 and seeing stop signs on ramps entering I-279.

What immediately comes to mind for me regarding Pittsburgh is 2 locations on I-376 eastbound (exit 67 and exit 74) where not only do you have a stop-sign onramp with no merge area, but the lane you merge into is an exit-only lane that departs hundreds of feet later

Another short onramp I used last time I was in Boston is the entrance from Massachusetts Ave to the Mass Pike westbound.

[hbelkins]

Not an interstate, but a freeway nonetheless... KY 4 (New Circle Rd) is signed as "SHORT MERGE AREA"  at several ramps. https://goo.gl/maps/cnQjEuCqFoQRNtt89

Those are fairly recent additions to the signage at the ramps.

[CardInLex]

Not an interstate, but a freeway nonetheless... KY 4 (New Circle Rd) is signed as "SHORT MERGE AREA"  at several ramps. https://goo.gl/maps/cnQjEuCqFoQRNtt89

Those are fairly recent additions to the signage at the ramps.

They've been there since at least mid-2017. So, not that recent.

[sbeaver44]

Of course, Pennsylvania is well known for sub-standard Interstate construction.

Indeed. Welcome to PA!

Lenhartsville (Exit 35 about 5 miles east of here) still has a stop sign on the EB onramp, unless that's been fixed in the last 6 months

[Thing 342]

I, for some reason, parsed this as "shortest merge that carries an interstate", and wanted to say I-64W onto I-64/95N in downtown Richmond. I-64W traffic has about 1000ft (~12s @ 55mph) to merge into 95 before being forced onto Chamberlayne Ave.

[mrcmc888]

I seem to recall I-20/I-95 in Florence, SC as being extremely substandard.  The cloverleaf ramps are 20/25 MPH and the merge lane only exists for a little while.

https://www.google.com/maps/@34.1935547,-79.8450745,1393m/data=!3m1!1e3

[BridgesToIdealism]

If we are talking about limited-access roads as a whole and not just Interstate highways, perhaps some of the most notorious are the Merritt & Wilbur Cross Parkways in Connecticut, which have stop signs at almost all of their ramps as there are zero acceleration lanes. You merge right into an active lane of traffic.

Perhaps even more infamous would be the Saw Mill River Parkway which is a "limited-access" parkway that still has random traffic lights in the middle, in addition to stop signs at ramps.

[Brandon]

Enjoy the hair-raising, heart-stopping joy of merging from the left with a concrete barrier in front of you. https://goo.gl/maps/4Q1trPZ8miyYeBaEA
Enjoy bridge supports? https://goo.gl/maps/yvdRk2SZBP41kKop6
Punch it! https://goo.gl/maps/KaQgiLGCr6AtypK8A
Looks longer, until you realize there's a lumbering semi in front of you. https://goo.gl/maps/okpGoPVirLztRGm37
Not an interstate; was a tollway, now a RIRO. https://goo.gl/maps/BghRSAmEVCjFHjx49
Uphill and into fast-moving trucks. https://goo.gl/maps/DJSrvE95rkviJz1A8

[1995hoo]

If we are talking about limited-access roads as a whole and not just Interstate highways, perhaps some of the most notorious are the Merritt & Wilbur Cross Parkways in Connecticut, which have stop signs at almost all of their ramps as there are zero acceleration lanes. You merge right into an active lane of traffic.

....

In terms of non-Interstates, the ramp from inbound I-395 to the outbound GW Parkway is a bad one with no merge area, but it doesn't have a stop sign. Both the ramp and the Parkway are often quite busy due to commuter traffic and due to the fact that the Parkway is the easiest way to get to Reagan Airport, which is a short distance south of this point.

https://goo.gl/maps/innfmgd87sU5md7e9


One of the on-ramps to the other side of I-395 in that area has a stop sign, which is very unusual for Virginia. Off the top of my head, I can't think of another stop sign on an Interstate on-ramp in Virginia, though I don't pretend to have used every on-ramp in the state. (I'm not counting ramp metering lights as being comparable to stop signs, of course.)

https://goo.gl/maps/xDAe6zeP6HKoD6mq9

[Roadrunner75]

Also not an interstate (US 1-9) and currently being rehabilitated, but the Pulaski Skyway is the king of dangerous short merges, from both the right and left:

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7365353,-74.0846542,3a,75y,280.98h,75.12t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1skDj5n5vQlgblsKmFQvXfcQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

This entry, recently reconstructed, was absolutely ridiculous previously.  There was no merge lane at all and there was heavy traffic on the ramp.  You just waited your turn to pull up to the stop sign, with almost no visibility and a guy sitting there selling stuff before you stomped on it and pulled directly into a travel lane of 60+ mph traffic coming from the Holland Tunnel.  My favorite "merge or die" ramp.

https://www.google.com/maps/@40.7392719,-74.0677112,3a,75y,227.77h,89.29t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sI1cWAyKTD5RZw6kTtwU9zg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192

[bing101]

Already a thread.

https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=6221.msg136401#msg136401

Are we supposed to revive threads from 2012?

I'd argue this is different anyway. You can have a substandard ramp without having a really short merge, such as the entrance from Exit 201 on I-80 in California (pictured below, merge area highlighted in red).



As for a ramp that meets the criteria of this thread, also on I-80, there's the ramp onto the Bay Bridge westbound, which has basically no merge area for a good reason, since it has to quickly join the freeway between the tunnel and the start of the suspension span. It also features a stop sign like other examples mentioned.

Bay Bridge ramp is a carryover of US-40 and US-50.