Most over-built interchanges

[roadman65]

The current I-95 and FL 528 interchange in Cocoa, FL is a full cloverleaf.  The EB to NB and the SB to WB are not needed as FL 407 serves as that function.  It was only converted not long ago as it was a partial interchange for decades.  It was missing four movements.  Primarily from NB I-95 to EB FL 528 and from WB FL 528 to SB I-95 that used to have a Breezewood using FL 524 and Industry Road to make the connection between the two freeways. 

Someone from FDOT explained to me that the money was there at the time so they figured why not use it.  That is why it was made complete even though FL 407 is the connection from SB I-95 to WB FL 528 and EB FL 528 to NB I-95.  If the later created Port St. John interchange was not a reality, then I would say it is totally pointless.  However, if you want to go from FL 528 EB to Port St. John it would have to be used as Port St. John lies between both FL 528 and FL 407 on I-95.  Then again are there many cars that go to Port St. John from FL 528?  Also, did FDOT know at time of reconfiguration that another new interchange would be opened later that might be used from FL 528?  So it may be partially pointless.

[Alps]

Translation: 528/95 is now a full cloverleaf. Even though I think it's overbuilt, technically it isn't because all of the new movements serve some useful function. Also, it's only a cloverleaf, so it's really hard to call it overbuilt structurally, either.

[haljackey]

This parclo seems a little overbuilt to me:



Full size image: http://www.mrc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/2010-IMAGE-11.jpg

More info: www.mrc.ca/mrc_projects/stevenson-road-interchange-highway-401-oshawa/

[roadfro]

^ It's actually a neat solution to not having to terminate the frontage road on the near side and tying in frontage facilities. A little overbuilt, perhaps, but cool nonetheless.

[johndoe]

Calling any of these "over-built" is unfair unless you know the travel demand model growth and in turn the turning movement counts.  Of course everything is either "over-built" or "under-built"    But anyway...

Speaking of expensive frontage road options...

http://goo.gl/maps/Ka5c0

Have you seen designs similiar to this one in your areas?

[Alps]

Calling any of these "over-built" is unfair unless you know the travel demand model growth and in turn the turning movement counts.  Of course everything is either "over-built" or "under-built"    But anyway...

Speaking of expensive frontage road options...

http://goo.gl/maps/Ka5c0

Have you seen designs similiar to this one in your areas?

Nothing should ever look like that. I would differ with "Not To Scale." That's a lazy way of saying "We can't figure out the scale." If the drawing is in proportion, it's to scale.

[johndoe]

I would differ with "Not To Scale." That's a lazy way of saying "We can't figure out the scale." If the drawing is in proportion, it's to scale.

Haha agreed, I don't really understand that.  (And that note gets put on tons of drawings!)  I guess they're worried someone will get out a scale at a public meeting?  But like you say...it IS to scale.  Maybe not a paper-friendly scale, but a scale nonetheless.

Nothing should ever look like that.

Referring to the scaling issues or the design?

[Alps]

Nothing should ever look like that.

Referring to the scaling issues or the design?

The design. One of my boss's many sayings: "If it looks like shit on paper, it will drive like shit." The SW Loop and North Outer Road both look particularly awkward. I can't put a finger on why, since there's no scale handy. (If they'd used the proper 10-30-10-30 linestyle, that wouldn't have been an issue.)

[NE2]

One definite issue is traffic merging from the loop and turning left at the SPUI.

[Alps]

One definite issue is traffic merging from the loop and turning left at the SPUI.

Yeah, some very short merge and weave areas, and also the number of lanes rapidly changing. You're going from a 4 lane road to a 10-lane monstrosity in about 200 feet.

[johndoe]

10-30-10-30 linestyle

Are you referring to the pavement marking lengths?

Yeah, I think my least favorite part of that design is to go left onto the outer road the drivers must know to go right instead.  I suppose it could be cured with signing, but to sign both outer roads and the SPUI itself would be a headache!

[roadman65]

Exit 101 on I-4 at Sanford is overbuilt.  It has three interchanges in one.  Now it may serve the fact that FDOT does not want local traffic between the three roads, but a long c/d road would allow locals not to enter the general use lanes and serve the same thing. 

The same is done between FL 435 and FL 482 Westbound where you cannot go from SB FL 435 to FL 482 using I-4.  All though that is good for traffic flow on I-4, many tourists could use the short use and all they needed to do was add a slip ramp between the long I-4 WB on ramp from FL 435 to long off ramp from I-4 WB to FL 482.

[Chris]

http://goo.gl/maps/U8GxI

The Wetzlar stack interchange in Germany. It's the only full stack interchange in Germany and the crossing A480 Autobahn carries a whopping 3,000 vehicles per day.

I do believe the local geography was a factor in building a stack instead of a cloverleaf.

[webfil]

http://goo.gl/maps/U8GxI

The Wetzlar stack interchange in Germany. It's the only full stack interchange in Germany and the crossing A480 Autobahn carries a whopping 3,000 vehicles per day.

I do believe the local geography was a factor in building a stack instead of a cloverleaf.

I think that Autobahn has just beaten off my 18,800 vpd 8-lane expressway in Québec City.

But that's not an interchange.

If I return to the topic, I may suggest a series of 6 interchanges on 4,5 km in a low-density populated suburb. I would take out 4 of them. At least.

[hbelkins]

I think that Autobahn has just beaten off my 18,800 vpd 8-lane expressway in Québec City.

Road masturbation! 

[mgk920]

http://goo.gl/maps/U8GxI

The Wetzlar stack interchange in Germany. It's the only full stack interchange in Germany and the crossing A480 Autobahn carries a whopping 3,000 vehicles per day.

I do believe the local geography was a factor in building a stack instead of a cloverleaf.

Also the fact that the A480 has/d aspirations of being much more than it is now - its traffic is typical of an uncompleted stub freeway that only goes to the first interchange on either side of the cross freeway.  What is its current prognosis?

Mike

[DAL764]

http://goo.gl/maps/U8GxI

The Wetzlar stack interchange in Germany. It's the only full stack interchange in Germany and the crossing A480 Autobahn carries a whopping 3,000 vehicles per day.

I do believe the local geography was a factor in building a stack instead of a cloverleaf.

Also the fact that the A480 has/d aspirations of being much more than it is now - its traffic is typical of an uncompleted stub freeway that only goes to the first interchange on either side of the cross freeway.  What is its current prognosis?

Mike

Indeed, it was supposed to be part of a longer A48 that would have connected the current A48 near Koblenz with the A4 at Hattenbach, that would have made it an attractive option for longhaul trans-german truck traffic and seen quite a lot more traffic. Plus, waaay back in the day there were plans to turn Gießen into a new big metropolis by forcefully incorporating multiple communities into "Großstadt Lahn" and make it sort of an economic competitor. Needless to say this plan was a complete failure as it was just politicians being *needed edit*.

The Wetzla stack was still build as the A480 was still at least supposed as new shortcut between the A5 and A45. Didn't actually build the part north of the interchange over the mountain ridge to connect with the rest of A480. As for prognosis, the missing gap is considered "Further Need" in the Bundesverkehrswegeplan, so in lower importance than the "Immediate Need" projects, and considering how fvcking slowly those important projects are moving (thanks to lack of money and environmentalists suing every single project to save 2 toads per kilometer), the completion of the 480 is probably something that won't be done before 2050, if ever.