What is your area's "malfunction junction?"

[ekt8750]

The I-76/I-676 interchange in Philly. The fact that it's a left exit off 76 E and a left merge that includes a lane drop within the ramp alone make it a mess. Throw in its proximity three other interchanges all within less of a mile of each other, you have a recipe for a mess. 76 E piles up badly during the PM rush in that area and if 676 is bad enough, its problems spill into 76 as well causing even worse congestion.

[sparker]

... and the Counter-intuitive movement, NB US-101 to SB I-880 has to mix into that. Worse yet, the HOV lane on SB I-880 ends at the centerline of US-101. If they would end it a couple hundred meters sooner, the people continuing on SB I-880 could move left and the US-101 people could move right. But, without a highspeed for SB-to-SB, all is lost. Perhaps, a ramp or two to CASR-87  would ease some of this, but, as sparker said, land acquisition is prohibitive. What alternatives are available, if, for instance, the SB I-880 to SB US-101 ramp ever had to be closed?

The problem with the 87/880 crossing (with, for those who don't know, zero connection between the two routes) is its proximity to SJO airport (right at the south end of the main runways); any connection would have to be tunneled rather than on a flyover, and there's no room for loops (the local light rail yard and service facility is tucked into the east corner opposite the airport).  So that's not going to happen! 

But I forgot to mention another thing that makes 101/880 not only the most inconvenient but also the deadliest interchange around is the Gish Road folded-diamond exit/entrance on NB 880 -- which exits only a couple hundred yards north of the merge from 101 north, arguably the busiest of the direct outer ramps.  Besides the weaves on and under the 880 overcrossing itself due to the cloverleaves, traffic from NB 101 attempting to merge onto NB 880 must contend with exiting traffic to Gish, which is dominated by semi trucks due to the high number of terminals in the adjacent area.  Not an accident waiting to happen -- more like a regular series of accidents!  Fun stuff!

[SP Cook]

In WV the only bad junction is what is locally called the "64 - 77 Split" no matter what direction you are going.  The issue is EB 64 merging into the combined 64-77 EB/SB.  Two lanes are exclusively for NB 77, which is maybe 10% of traffic, one lane is for either, and the an on-ramp from the city street below becomes an exclusive 64-77 lane for very short length.  In bound backup for maybe 3/4ths of a mile trying to get in that one lane.  And then the on-ramp always has some a**hole who want to get on the interstate and then shift over 2 lanes to go north (he could go less than 400 yards up the street and enter 77 NB after the split; and then truckers, trying to be nice, will lay over into the far right lane formed by the on ramp, not realizing it is a must exit within 3/4th of a mile. 

[michravera]

... and the Counter-intuitive movement, NB US-101 to SB I-880 has to mix into that. Worse yet, the HOV lane on SB I-880 ends at the centerline of US-101. If they would end it a couple hundred meters sooner, the people continuing on SB I-880 could move left and the US-101 people could move right. But, without a highspeed for SB-to-SB, all is lost. Perhaps, a ramp or two to CASR-87  would ease some of this, but, as sparker said, land acquisition is prohibitive. What alternatives are available, if, for instance, the SB I-880 to SB US-101 ramp ever had to be closed?

The problem with the 87/880 crossing (with, for those who don't know, zero connection between the two routes) is its proximity to SJO airport (right at the south end of the main runways); any connection would have to be tunneled rather than on a flyover, and there's no room for loops (the local light rail yard and service facility is tucked into the east corner opposite the airport).  So that's not going to happen! 

But I forgot to mention another thing that makes 101/880 not only the most inconvenient but also the deadliest interchange around is the Gish Road folded-diamond exit/entrance on NB 880 -- which exits only a couple hundred yards north of the merge from 101 north, arguably the busiest of the direct outer ramps.  Besides the weaves on and under the 880 overcrossing itself due to the cloverleaves, traffic from NB 101 attempting to merge onto NB 880 must contend with exiting traffic to Gish, which is dominated by semi trucks due to the high number of terminals in the adjacent area.  Not an accident waiting to happen -- more like a regular series of accidents!  Fun stuff!

... all agreed. However, there is no reason that some of the movements couldn't be done in approximately the existing headroom.

[pianocello]

Central Iowa/Des Moines: Pick your Mixmaster, but I think the East one is slightly worse because of the left-hand ramps. Also, I feel like there might be more intercity traffic being pushed through the East Mixmaster than the West, since almost all of Iowa's population centers are to the east. I might be biased though, since I go through it frequently.

In the grand scheme of things, though, it's really not a problem.

[jemacedo9]

The I-76/I-676 interchange in Philly. The fact that it's a left exit off 76 E and a left merge that includes a lane drop within the ramp alone make it a mess. Throw in its proximity three other interchanges all within less of a mile of each other, you have a recipe for a mess. 76 E piles up badly during the PM rush in that area and if 676 is bad enough, its problems spill into 76 as well causing even worse congestion.

For Philly, I couldn't decide between this one, or the I-76/US 1 City Ave debacle, or the I-76/I-476 debacle...but I think your choice might be a slight winner over these other two.

[sparker]

... all agreed. However, there is no reason that some of the movements couldn't be done in approximately the existing headroom.

The present configuration has 87 crossing over 880 on a standard-height bridge; this is simply a replacement/widening of the original Guadalupe Parkway twin expressway bridges (the original alignment was a county-maintained 4-lane facility intended to serve as airport access from US 101 and downtown; CA 87 north of the Coleman Ave. overpass was simply laid down on top of the expressway).  One of the options when the planning for CA 87 -- originally including a partial interchange with 880 -- was to tear down the expressway bridge and take 87 below grade under 880; that would have allowed two direct ramps (SB 87>SB 880, NB 87>NB 880) plus two flyovers no higher than the original expressway bridge (NB 880>NB 87, SB 880>SB 87), which would have satisfied FAA height requirements.  This wasn't done because it would have meant closing down airport access from the south for the construction (they would have had to use North First Street, which at the time was being reconstructed to accommodate light rail) as well as partially detour 880 while the underpass was being built -- all of which would have tripled the budget for the CA 87 project -- which would also necessitate a substantial retaining wall along the below-grade segment of 87 to separate it from the parallel Guadalupe River.  Thus the decision to eliminate the interchange. 

If such an interchange had been indeed deployed, the only heavy-traffic movement remaining at the 101/880 interchange, aside from the oblique-angle SB 880>NB 101 and its inverse loop, would be from NB 101>NB 880 and SB 880>SB 101; the other major movement would have been obviated by the "shortcut" over CA 87.   

[TheOneKEA]

The mess at US 1 and MD 24 in Bel Air has already been mentioned. Here are some other dysfunctional interchanges I have seen in MD.

1. MD 100/MD 295 in Hanover. MD 100 backs up going west and MD 295 backs up going north every day, and because of the cloverleaf design it makes it impossible to merge in any direction without further slowing down traffic in all directions.
2. MD 100/MD 713, also in Hanover. There's a HUGE amount of traffic exiting onto MD 713 to get into the mall complex, and an equally HUGE amount of traffic turning left and merging onto MD 100 west, snarling up traffic in both directions.
3. I-70/I-81 in Hagerstown, MD. Even with collector-distributor lanes in all directions, the interchange is so tiny that it's very difficult to change highways here. The work planned for this interchange won't really address its shortcomings.
4. I-95/I-695 south of Baltimore. This one is actually being fixed, by widening I-695 west and adding more lanes for the on ramps from both directions of I-95. Until that fix is completed though, though, traffic from both directions to I-695 west backs up far enough to snarl up both mainline carriage ways of I-95.
5. I-70/I-695 west of Baltimore. Unless there's actually a chance of I-70 being extended east into the city, this interchange doesn't need to be a symmetrical four-level stack anymore. The volume of traffic going from I-70 east to I-695 north is always enormous, every day, and the interchange was never designed for that traffic flow.

[CapeCodder]

Lowel conecter.

Lowell Connector/I-495/US 3 can be challenging, but IMO interchanges like the I-93/MA 3 split in Braintree, or I-95 (MA 128)/I-93 in Woburn, are far worse in terms of congestion and merging/weaving behavior.

God, the Braintree Split. Hit that SOB at the wrong time and you'll be sitting awhile.

[plain]

The Bryan Park Interchange (I-95/I-64 West/I-195) is the clear winner in Richmond. Traffic often backs up on all four legs approaching it during the rush hours. The Shockoe Valley Interchange (I-95/I-64 East/various downtown streets) comes in 2nd.

Most of the other freeway to freeway interchanges in the metro is a cakewalk, except I-95 Exit 84 (I-295, Fri-Sun).

[kkt]

Let's see?  I'm in San Jose, CA.  What, oh what is the most dysfunctional interchange around?  So many to choose from!  Oh....yeah....RIGHT:  I-880/US 101.  The only high-AADT interchange I know of that posts one of the cloverleaf loops (SB 880>SB 101) as "curvature tightens" (i.e., diminishing radius!).  It was underpowered when it was built back ca. 1960-61 and is a really bad joke today.  Traffic in the primary transition directions (the direction described above and its inverse, plus SB 101>SB 880 and its inverse) grinds to a stop to traverse the loops at maybe 20 mph on a good day.  Once you've gone around the loop, then you have to weave through traffic to get into a through lane on the target roadway -- it's the poster child for what's wrong with cloverleaf interchanges lacking C-D lanes.  And to top it off, SB 880>NB 101 requires getting off on the old Bayshore Highway before making a entry onto 101 via a shorter-than-thou ramp.  Fortunately it's in an acute-angle directional change.  Unfortunately, the property surrounding the interchange is presently too valuable/pricey to acquire for any meaningful upgrades.  So it's probable that the interchange will remain the piece of shit that it is for the foreseeable future!

The property around it has not been intensely developed.  It's 1-2 story low rises, auto mechanics, towing, truck parking, dilapidated housing.  Sure, the land is pricey, but the occupants would probably not hold out for higher prices for sentimental reasons.  Not having a better interchange there is also costing all travelers money and time.  I bet they get it done sometime in the next 50 years.  (But good luck collecting from me in 2067 if they haven't.)

Also I looked at allowed heights there a while back and I think it's at 200 feet or so.  Plenty for a stack interchange if that's what they decide on.

[WillWeaverRVA]

The Bryan Park Interchange (I-95/I-64 West/I-195) is the clear winner in Richmond. Traffic often backs up on all four legs approaching it during the rush hours. The Shockoe Valley Interchange (I-95/I-64 East/various downtown streets) comes in 2nd.

Most of the other freeway to freeway interchanges in the metro is a cakewalk, except I-95 Exit 84 (I-295, Fri-Sun).

So I recently moved further away from where I work distance-wise, but I actually get to work FASTER now. Why? Because I don't have to go through that stupid Bryan Park mess anymore.

[sparker]

The property around it has not been intensely developed.  It's 1-2 story low rises, auto mechanics, towing, truck parking, dilapidated housing.  Sure, the land is pricey, but the occupants would probably not hold out for higher prices for sentimental reasons.  Not having a better interchange there is also costing all travelers money and time.  I bet they get it done sometime in the next 50 years.  (But good luck collecting from me in 2067 if they haven't.)

Also I looked at allowed heights there a while back and I think it's at 200 feet or so.  Plenty for a stack interchange if that's what they decide on.

If you're referring to 101/880 rather than 87/880, the problem is that much of the land around the interchange is the property of the Koll industrial-development firm, which is both politically connected in these parts and reluctant to cede enough property to install significant interchange improvements.  One of their premier North San Jose parks abuts the SB 101>SB 880 direct outer connection; at least one bank of buildings would have to be razed to do this interchange in standard Caltrans style, with a higher-speed (at least 45-50) banked ramp.  Doing flyovers that take off prior to the direct ramp might work, provided the Koll-owned land east of 880 and west of 101 could be somehow acquired (pocket-lining would help!).  One thing I've always thought -- if the 880 SB ramp to Old Bayshore (which also serves as part of the route from 880 to NB 101, since there's no direct ramp in that quadrant) could be eliminated, a flyover from SB 880 to SB 101 could be built in its place (that acute-angle traffic from SB 880 to NB 101 could be rerouted over Brokaw Road, the next exit north for both freeways).  If those two flyovers could be done -- along with closing the Gish Road ramps to upgrade NB 101 to NB 880 -- a revamping may be possible; the 2 loops remaining would be both secondary connectors. 

Or -- and this is a big "if" -- a full turbo-type interchange could be built on the spot; some slowing would be required for the transitions, but it would certainly eliminate the weaving.  However, turbos don't seem to be favored within the Caltrans lexicon; they don't seem too eager to duplicate 50/99/Oak Park up in Sacramento (it tends to get more user criticism than any other interchange in that area -- although it is space-saving). 

For anything to happen regarding this particular mess, 50 years seems about right.  I'll be 117 or 118 then; if my memory slips as much by then as it is currently, I'd hardly remember a bet about an interchange -- you're safe on that account!   

[tdindy88]

Indianapolis' likely candidate for this would be the I-65/I-70 North Split interchange. The interchange was built with the I-69 extension to the northeast in mind and could be configured better, adding that is the collector-distributor for the Michigan/New York/Ohio Street ramps to the south. You also have to slow down for the turns around here, which catches many vehicles off guard resulting in plenty of accidents.

[Buffaboy]

The I-76/I-676 interchange in Philly. The fact that it's a left exit off 76 E and a left merge that includes a lane drop within the ramp alone make it a mess. Throw in its proximity three other interchanges all within less of a mile of each other, you have a recipe for a mess. 76 E piles up badly during the PM rush in that area and if 676 is bad enough, its problems spill into 76 as well causing even worse congestion.

I saw it on Google Maps a while ago. I don't even need to look at it again to know what you're talking about because it's so memorable.

[kkt]

The property around it has not been intensely developed.  It's 1-2 story low rises, auto mechanics, towing, truck parking, dilapidated housing.  Sure, the land is pricey, but the occupants would probably not hold out for higher prices for sentimental reasons.  Not having a better interchange there is also costing all travelers money and time.  I bet they get it done sometime in the next 50 years.  (But good luck collecting from me in 2067 if they haven't.)

Also I looked at allowed heights there a while back and I think it's at 200 feet or so.  Plenty for a stack interchange if that's what they decide on.

If you're referring to 101/880 rather than 87/880, the problem is that much of the land around the interchange is the property of the Koll industrial-development firm, which is both politically connected in these parts and reluctant to cede enough property to install significant interchange improvements.  One of their premier North San Jose parks abuts the SB 101>SB 880 direct outer connection; at least one bank of buildings would have to be razed to do this interchange in standard Caltrans style, with a higher-speed (at least 45-50) banked ramp.  Doing flyovers that take off prior to the direct ramp might work, provided the Koll-owned land east of 880 and west of 101 could be somehow acquired (pocket-lining would help!).  One thing I've always thought -- if the 880 SB ramp to Old Bayshore (which also serves as part of the route from 880 to NB 101, since there's no direct ramp in that quadrant) could be eliminated, a flyover from SB 880 to SB 101 could be built in its place (that acute-angle traffic from SB 880 to NB 101 could be rerouted over Brokaw Road, the next exit north for both freeways).  If those two flyovers could be done -- along with closing the Gish Road ramps to upgrade NB 101 to NB 880 -- a revamping may be possible; the 2 loops remaining would be both secondary connectors. 

Or -- and this is a big "if" -- a full turbo-type interchange could be built on the spot; some slowing would be required for the transitions, but it would certainly eliminate the weaving.  However, turbos don't seem to be favored within the Caltrans lexicon; they don't seem too eager to duplicate 50/99/Oak Park up in Sacramento (it tends to get more user criticism than any other interchange in that area -- although it is space-saving). 

For anything to happen regarding this particular mess, 50 years seems about right.  I'll be 117 or 118 then; if my memory slips as much by then as it is currently, I'd hardly remember a bet about an interchange -- you're safe on that account!   

I have limited sympathy for Koll.  They still get their investment in the land back if it's condemned for interchange expansion, and they have little or nothing invested in the buildings.  Improving the interchange would benefit everyone, including Koll.  A stack could be built, fitting in access to surface streets including Old Bayshore would be challenging but possible using a collector-distributor road.

[paulthemapguy]

In Salt Lake City area, the South Interchange (I-15/215 in Murray) is congested every day, as it's a major bottleneck since all southbound freeway traffic must merge onto I-15 there. Originally, the proximity of the 7200 South exit to the 215 one caused so much weaving that they put in a C/D lane to eliminate this issue. But traffic always backs up in the C/D lane, and UDOT has recently suggested removing it.
Also, the ramps from 15S to 215E and 15N to 215W are left merges, which often makes for several dangerous lane changes if you want the next exit on 215.

I just got back from there.  Good lord is SLC messed up...mostly because of driver negligence though.  Nobody knows how to traffic....just in general.  I think SLC could use a counterpart to the Legacy Parkway, but on the south side of town, at least until UT-92.  SLC itself is a malfunction junction.

[US 89]

In Salt Lake City area, the South Interchange (I-15/215 in Murray) is congested every day, as it's a major bottleneck since all southbound freeway traffic must merge onto I-15 there. Originally, the proximity of the 7200 South exit to the 215 one caused so much weaving that they put in a C/D lane to eliminate this issue. But traffic always backs up in the C/D lane, and UDOT has recently suggested removing it.
Also, the ramps from 15S to 215E and 15N to 215W are left merges, which often makes for several dangerous lane changes if you want the next exit on 215.

I just got back from there.  Good lord is SLC messed up...mostly because of driver negligence though.  Nobody knows how to traffic....just in general.  I think SLC could use a counterpart to the Legacy Parkway, but on the south side of town, at least until UT-92.  SLC itself is a malfunction junction.

They are building the Mountain View Corridor, which could be considered a counterpart to Legacy, but I feel like it's too far west to do much good. The coming upgrades to Bangerter Highway might also help, but that still just goes into I-15 in Draper.

At the risk of venturing into fictional highways territory, what is really needed is an east-west freeway, maybe in the 9000 to 10600 South area. I don't think it's ever going to happen, but east west mobility is a big issue, and all of those roads (90th, 106th, 114th, etc) are congested every day. Another (easier) idea would be to build a connector freeway between  Bangerter and Mountain View in the 13400 S area.

[Dh61]

For South Jersey it has to be the I-76/I-295/NJ 42 interchange; and you can extend that to include NJ 55's termination at NJ 42.

The problem is NJ 42 gets backed-up southbound during every afternoon's rush hour.  (Fridays during the summer are even worse due to the additional traffic heading down to the Shore.)  Traffic heading south on 295 trying to go south on 42 hits its back-up and consequently backs up onto 295 itself, sometimes for 10 miles or more.

There is a massive, long-term construction project to improve 295 itself through the interchange.  However, as long as 42 backs-up, traffic exiting 295 will back-up.  I don't see how this redesigned interchange will improve the current situation.

This was my first thought. I take 42 to 295 a lot and vice versa and I always get uncertain about whether or not I'm in the correct lane.

[Charles2]

Birmingham has two.  The obvious choice is the the I-65/I-20-59 interchange in downtown.  It's being modified in anticipation of the rebuild of the I-20/59 bridge through downtown.  All I have to say about that is that it will be interesting.

The other candidate is the I-459/U.S. 280 interchange SE of the city.  It was designed and constructed before suburban sprawl headed down 280.  Incredible commercial and residential growth in the area would seem to demand  that the interchange needs a total redesign and rebuild, but since the metro area's biggest shopping center is right next to the exit, a redesign is going to be challenging.

[SFalcon71]

Cleveland's main culprit is "Dead Mans Curve" on I-90 near OH-2



The curve is almost 90 degrees.

[US 89]

Cleveland's main culprit is "Dead Mans Curve" on I-90 near OH-2



The curve is almost 90 degrees.

That reminds me of the US 175 curve in Dallas.

[CapeCodder]

Cleveland's main culprit is "Dead Mans Curve" on I-90 near OH-2



The curve is almost 90 degrees.

Been on it in a Greyhound bus. Trying to maneuver the bus around the curve took some skills.

[Roadgeekteen]

Cleveland's main culprit is "Dead Mans Curve" on I-90 near OH-2



The curve is almost 90 degrees.

Been on it in a Greyhound bus. Trying to maneuver the bus around the curve took some skills.

How many accidents happen there?

[CtrlAltDel]

Cleveland's main culprit is "Dead Mans Curve" on I-90 near OH-2



The curve is almost 90 degrees.

It's not so much the angle that matters. There are 90-degree turns in many cities that aren't as problematic. What matters is the radius of the curve, which in this case measures about 350 feet. You can occasionally find loop ramps of that radius.