Pointlessly elaborate interchanges

[blawp]

I think the 4-level stack at Interstate 20 and US 175 in Balch Springs, TX is probably overkill.
Post Merge: July 03, 2012, 01:59:15 PM
It probably gets as many VPD as Texas Toll 49.

[Roadsguy]

The US 322/522/22 interchange in Lewistown, PA, is debatably overkill. It's out in the middle of nowhere.

Then there's I-95 at PA 413 (Exit 40, the one south of the Turnpike.) However, this was meant to go somewhere, so it's understandable.

[NE2]

SR 23 and SR 118 in Moorpark.

[blawp]

It's a simple curve. Nah.

SR 23 and SR 118 in Moorpark.

[Chris]

High-Five interchange in Dallas. Should've been a roundabout.

[InterstateNG]

Over/under how many more threads blawp starts that troll the state of Texas?

[agentsteel53]

I-8/CA-163.  one of the most direct paths is a u-turn from CA-163 south to CA-163 north.  who uses that??

also I-5/I-8/CA-209.  too many strangely located exit choices and mainline lane drops, just to accommodate an arterial.

[elsmere241]

I-83, I-283, US 322, Swatara, PA (near Harrisburg):

http://goo.gl/maps/khXT

[JustDrive]

101 at Cesar Chavez (Army)/Potrero (featuring Bayshore Boulevard) in SF

[mcdonaat]

US 61/I-310 in Louisiana. A stack interchange in the middle of the damn swamp. US 61 has been bypassed by I-10, I-310 is used from US 90 to I-10. I've NEVER seen anyone using the offramps.

[Alps]

The US 322/522/22 interchange in Lewistown, PA, is debatably overkill. It's out in the middle of nowhere.

Then there's I-95 at PA 413 (Exit 40, the one south of the Turnpike.) However, this was meant to go somewhere, so it's understandable.

Actually, I learned that it wasn't meant to go anywhere, but rather I-895 would have headed due south from there. The ramps that did get built would have looked a lot saner in context.

[TheStranger]

The US 322/522/22 interchange in Lewistown, PA, is debatably overkill. It's out in the middle of nowhere.

Then there's I-95 at PA 413 (Exit 40, the one south of the Turnpike.) However, this was meant to go somewhere, so it's understandable.

Actually, I learned that it wasn't meant to go anywhere, but rather I-895 would have headed due south from there. The ramps that did get built would have looked a lot saner in context.

The spur at one point was planned to continue east to US 13, I've seen it marked as proposed on an early-80s Gousha maps.

[vtk]

For several years it looked like the I-270 interchange at Easton Way was pointlessly overbuilt.  It made a bit more sense over the years as OH 161 was upgraded between Columbus and Granville.

[kphoger]

High-Five interchange in Dallas. Should've been a roundabout.

I  hate  love  hate  love  you .

[Beltway]

I-83, I-283, US 322, Swatara, PA (near Harrisburg):

http://goo.gl/maps/khXT

For all that, the freeways through there still only have 2 mainline lanes each way.

[Beltway]

High-Five interchange in Dallas. Should've been a roundabout.

No, it should have been an at-grade intersection.  :-)

[mgk920]

I-80/US 46/NJ 94, Columbia, NJ.

'nuff said!



Mike

[national highway 1]

The Alemany Maze at the junction of US 101/I-280.
The I-710/I-10 interchange at South Pasadena
The East LA interchange.
The ramp from I-80 into the Transbay Terminal.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

US 61/I-310 in Louisiana. A stack interchange in the middle of the damn swamp. US 61 has been bypassed by I-10, I-310 is used from US 90 to I-10. I've NEVER seen anyone using the offramps.

You haven't been around there during shift change from the Norco refinery. Also provides access to the freight portion of Armstrong Airport.
Mind you, when that interchange was built, Louisiana was still intending for I-310 to be I-410.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

For several years it looked like the I-270 interchange at Easton Way was pointlessly overbuilt.  It made a bit more sense over the years as OH 161 was upgraded between Columbus and Granville.

Blame Les Wexner (for the overbuild).

[mcdonaat]

US 61/I-310 in Louisiana. A stack interchange in the middle of the damn swamp. US 61 has been bypassed by I-10, I-310 is used from US 90 to I-10. I've NEVER seen anyone using the offramps.

You haven't been around there during shift change from the Norco refinery. Also provides access to the freight portion of Armstrong Airport.
Mind you, when that interchange was built, Louisiana was still intending for I-310 to be I-410.

Still seems silly to have it built the way it is. Seems very out of place in the middle of the swamp! I haven't been down Airline in forever, electing to take the River Road (LA 48) instead. However... is a stack of that size really needed in the swamp, especially when a fly ramp system could do better purpose?

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

US 61/I-310 in Louisiana. A stack interchange in the middle of the damn swamp. US 61 has been bypassed by I-10, I-310 is used from US 90 to I-10. I've NEVER seen anyone using the offramps.

You haven't been around there during shift change from the Norco refinery. Also provides access to the freight portion of Armstrong Airport.
Mind you, when that interchange was built, Louisiana was still intending for I-310 to be I-410.

Still seems silly to have it built the way it is. Seems very out of place in the middle of the swamp! I haven't been down Airline in forever, electing to take the River Road (LA 48) instead. However... is a stack of that size really needed in the swamp, especially when a fly ramp system could do better purpose?

Not sure what other options Huey Long had in routing Airline Highway back in the 1930s other than through the swamp.
Otherwise, I don't see what geology has to do with the interchange design, I-310 is 4 lanes, US 61 is 4 lanes. So, to keep all directions free flowing, without traffic lights, the state decided to build a stack instead of a cloverleaf.

[vtk]

For several years it looked like the I-270 interchange at Easton Way was pointlessly overbuilt.  It made a bit more sense over the years as OH 161 was upgraded between Columbus and Granville.

Blame Les Wexner (for the overbuild).

Sure he caused the problem, but he put the solution in place before the problem existed. I have no beef with that.

[roadman65]

The I-95 and FL 528 interchange near Cocoa, FL.  It has pointless ramps from EB to NB and SB to WB as FL 407 covers those movements quite well.  It originally did not have them until either the mid or late 90's, but it was done to make it a complete interchange as it was missing some movements.  The NB to EB and WB to SB were added to it in addition as you previously had to do a Breezewood via FL 524.  This part was understandable, but the previous was always a shortcut and still to this day used as primary connection for the once missing movements.

[kphoger]

High-Five interchange in Dallas. Should've been a roundabout.

No, it should have been an at-grade intersection.  :-)

  A roundabout IS an at-grade intersection.