Tightest trumpet ever?

[briantroutman]

Yesterday, I was driving from the Tahoe area back to San Francisco, and I passed this interchange, which must be the tightest trumpet I've ever seen.

I remember having taken this exit on a previous trip and thinking that the somewhat bowl-like excavation of the exit ramps put me in mind of the old (and now, sadly gone) Blue Mountain Interchange on the PA Turnpike. According to Google Earth, the radius of the loop is about 40 feet, which is incredibly tighter than the old Blue Mountain loop's approximately 100-foot radius.



I suppose it could be argued that this isn't a trumpet at all because the two eastbound ramps meet the westbound ramps at a right angle rather than converging–but for all intents and purposes, I think it more or less qualifies.

Do you know of other tiny trumpets–especially ones that qualify in every regard (whereas this one is a "kinda-sorta" trumpet)?

[roadman65]

Its funny you bring up the parameters of a trumpet as I was reminiscing the good ole days when I lived in New Jersey by taking a GSV tour of the Garden State Parkway.  I was always fascinated by the GSP Connection and NYS Thruway Interchange in Spring Valley, NY as it has the loosest trumpet.  If you go WB to SB or NB to WB you have quite a long loop around it.  It probably takes one minuet to go around it to pass under the same bridge you just crossed over if heading Albanybound from New Jersey.

[NE2]

I've become convinced that roadman65 is deliberately trolling us with bad spelling. I can understand most of his errors, but consistently using minuet?

[roadman65]

I've become convinced that roadman65 is deliberately trolling us with bad spelling. I can understand most of his errors, but consistently using minuet?

What took you so long?  I expected you sooner!  So I misspelled a word, I am tired of looking up in the stupid dictionary (BTW google said my word was right) because we have a language that does not believe in phonetics!   It is more trouble to search for the word when most people could easily figure out what I mean.

Edit: It now is right I accidentally put in an extra n.

[NE2]

Min-you-et.

[signalman]

Min-you-et.

Perhaps he meant Nanuet.  That's not too far from the trumpet he was talking about.   

[agentsteel53]

I've become convinced that roadman65 is deliberately trolling us with bad spelling. I can understand most of his errors, but consistently using minuet?

actually, if one knows what the word means, it's pretty funny imagining people doing so all the way around the loop ramp.

[1995hoo]

I was under the impression the moderators had asked us to stop pointing out spelling errors except when they render a post incomprehensible.

[agentsteel53]

I was under the impression the moderators had asked us to stop pointing out spelling errors except when they render a post incomprehensible.

I do find it irritating that there is precisely one forum regular who has caused this rule to come into being.

[hotdogPi]

"Minuet" kind of makes sense, because it's about trumpets.

[Brandon]

I was under the impression the moderators had asked us to stop pointing out spelling errors except when they render a post incomprehensible.

I do find it irritating that there is precisely one forum regular who has caused this rule to come into being.

Ande hee kips un comentting aboot dem. 

[webfil]

"Minuet" kind of makes sense, because it's about trumpets.

Perhaps did he point out that very minuet?

[Big John]

Back on topic, it looks to have regular-width lanes.  If trucks are allowed on it, it nedd a lot more pavement on the sides in order for the trucks to be able to turn without crossing the center line.

[cpzilliacus]

Among the worst and tightest trumpets I have driven (now reconstructed, I believe) is the "east" interchange of I-70 and I-79 here near Washington, Pennsylvania.

[Jardine]

The OP loop is almost as tight as the spiral ramp at a nearby airport!  (thanks Google Earth)

And that means it would be really steep too. 

Thanx for the post!

[vtk]

I think you mis-estimated the location of the center of curvature.  It's not necessarily in the center of the open area.  I think the radius for most of that loop is between 50 and 60 feet, though it's not constant. For traffic entering the freeway, the curve gets tighter right before transitioning into the acceleration lane.

Of course, the non-flat terrain could introduce minor distortions in the orthoimagery, and Google Earth uses a perspective view even when looking straight down, so its elevation model may further distort the apparent horizontal alignment of these features.

[roadman65]

Among the worst and tightest trumpets I have driven (now reconstructed, I believe) is the "east" interchange of I-70 and I-79 here near Washington, Pennsylvania.

I think this is on PennDOT's to do list.

[NE2]

*ahem* https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=3051

[hbelkins]

Among the worst and tightest trumpets I have driven (now reconstructed, I believe) is the "east" interchange of I-70 and I-79 here near Washington, Pennsylvania.

I don't know why that gave so many people heartburn. I never minded it at all.

[roadman65]

Among the worst and tightest trumpets I have driven (now reconstructed, I believe) is the "east" interchange of I-70 and I-79 here near Washington, Pennsylvania.

I don't know why that gave so many people heartburn. I never minded it at all.

Its like the one near Harrisburg at the I-83 & PA 581 junction.  To stay on I-83 SB you have to go through a tight loop, but you just do not mind it.