43 replies to this topic

[Neo]

I know this isn't an on/off ramp but this is hilariously screwed up engineering at it's best!

[Wendell FOX]

^ lol, I've seen pics of that one before.

In Ontario pretty much all of our highways are easy to navigate (in fact too boring) - even the 401 system is pretty simple. The most complex I can think off is in Waterloo-Kitchener where the labelling of signs - well, shows that the Civils @ UWaterloo aren't that great. There's a case in which a cloverleaf that branches off into an east/west path doesn't have it labelled for example.

The Autoroute (don't dare just call them highways! ) system in Quebec is, well - don't get me started on my sexual fantasies with them - but has a couple of tough, though interesting interchanges. Including cloverleafs like the one Neo posted, but in addition without guide signs until you're pretty close to them - I swear if I hadn't guesstimated the length of text on an A-30 sign to be "Sorel" and "Chateauguay" (sp?) - the direction text is too small to see - I (or my dad rather) would've missed that interchange.

This reminds me of PEI too, where the Trans-Canada out of all highways doesn't label itself in parts. Had I not memorized where Wood Islands is on the map I would've gotten lost on this one intersection.

[Urbanrailfan]

In Austin, Texas, Interstate 35 through downtown past the University of TExas campus has some of the worst on and off ramps in the city. On the lower/upper deck split, on ramps on the lower deck had to be permanently closed because of a lack of auxilirary lane space to speed up, roughly against the upper deck support pillars. In downtown, the ramps were too sharp and short with poor aesthetics.

Southbound I-35 Downtown Exit. See the ramp on your right? That's how sharp and short i'm talking about.

The notorious double decker. The lower level was built in the 1950s, then the upper level came in the 1970s. The on-ramps were closed some time before this picture was taken. Dangerously narrow: the upper level pillars and the narrow space in the center divider.

Edited by Urbanrailfan, 26 July 2004 - 10:14 AM.

[DBR96]

Not sure if this is a good enough picture, but this is a picture of the approach to the Squirrel Hill/Homestead exit on the Parkway East headed eastbound. If you look closely, you'll see a yellow diamond "merge" sign in the distance. The car you see under it is entering the highway from the on-ramp I described. (Remember that you have to stop at the end of the on-ramp before entering the highway.) The off-ramp comes immediately after the overpass you see in this picture. The car you see entering the highway will need to move into the center lane in order to proceed eastbound, and he has roughly 500 feet in which to do so.

(Also note how close the left-most lane is to the concrete median barrier. Now you know some of the reasons why I'm an ardent proponent of overhauling Pittsburgh's highway infrastructure.)

[Cotuit]

Neo, on Jul 18 2004, 07:25 PM, said:

Try getting merging into Interstate speed traffic while they're trying to merge into your lane with only a few feet to work with!  Welcome the I-485N/74W Interchange in East Charlotte:

That's nothing, just about every interchange up here in the northeast is a cloverleaf. That one's not even a full cloverleaf, it's cheating with that ramp that slides across the interchange.

DBR96, on Jul 25 2004, 05:51 AM, said:

(Also note how close the left-most lane is to the concrete median barrier. Now you know some of the reasons why I'm an ardent proponent of overhauling Pittsburgh's highway infrastructure.)

Also note the pedestrians!! WTF!?

[H-townrep]

donaltopablo, on Jul 18 2004, 04:27 PM, said:

Here is the link to the GA 400 SB to 285 EB

http://terraserver.microsoft.com/addressim...anta%2c+Georgia

Don't froget about the other two bad spots in the Atlanta Area. Getting on 285 southbond form Windy Hill Rd. You drive a ways then over a hill and have to stop and look back at trucks coming up a hill from around a corner. Thank God I'm married now cause she use to live there. Also there is always a traffic jam on I-20 Eastbond exiting 285 Northbond, It makes a complete downward circle. Makes no sense.

In Houston, there is no screwed up exiting sense they fixed the Pierce elevted portion of I-45, exiting unto both 59 and the South Freeway at the same time. i use to hate that back when I worked for Enron.

[ElGobernador]

H-townrep, on Jul 30 2004, 02:40 PM, said:

donaltopablo, on Jul 18 2004, 04:27 PM, said:

Here is the link to the GA 400 SB to 285 EB

http://terraserver.microsoft.com/addressim...anta%2c+Georgia

Don't froget about the other two bad spots in the Atlanta Area. Getting on 285 southbond form Windy Hill Rd. You drive a ways then over a hill and have to stop and look back at trucks coming up a hill from around a corner. Thank God I'm married now cause she use to live there. Also there is always a traffic jam on I-20 Eastbond exiting 285 Northbond, It makes a complete downward circle. Makes no sense.

In Houston, there is no screwed up exiting sense they fixed the Pierce elevted portion of I-45, exiting unto both 59 and the South Freeway at the same time. i use to hate that back when I worked for Enron.

I don't know, H-town rep, the merge from 59S to 45N is pretty scary o me. There is almost no merge lane.

The rest of Houston is a breeze to navigate, at least as far as the freeways go.

[Urbanrailfan]

Quote

QUOTE (H-townrep @ Jul 30 2004, 02:40 PM)QUOTE (donaltopablo @ Jul 18 2004, 04:27 PM)
Here is the link to the GA 400 SB to 285 EB

http://terraserver.m...anta%2c+Georgia
Don't froget about the other two bad spots in the Atlanta Area. Getting on 285 southbond form Windy Hill Rd. You drive a ways then over a hill and have to stop and look back at trucks coming up a hill from around a corner. Thank God I'm married now cause she use to live there. Also there is always a traffic jam on I-20 Eastbond exiting 285 Northbond, It makes a complete downward circle. Makes no sense.

In Houston, there is no screwed up exiting sense they fixed the Pierce elevted portion of I-45, exiting unto both 59 and the South Freeway at the same time. i use to hate that back when I worked for Enron.
I don't know, H-town rep, the merge from 59S to 45N is pretty scary o me. There is almost no merge lane.

The rest of Houston is a breeze to navigate, at least as far as the freeways go.

Not if you have to get on another freeway after crossing three lanes of traffic at least. In Houston, that's the case if you go I-10 West, then have to get on I-610 West Loop, cross three lanes to get on 290 -- and you have to do all of this within a mile. Same goes for when 290 East terminates into 610, except you only have two lanes to get to I-10 East.

In Atlanta, same story: The "Downtown Connector", a.k.a. I-75/85 is between twelve and 16 lanes. If you are on I-75N, you'll have to cross 4 lanes to continue on 75 past the split. I-85 North dips into 75 on the right, but you'll have to cross 4 lanes to your left to stay on I-85. This lane switching is dangerous because anxious drivers have to slip across these lanes at the last minute.

[Benhamin]

Sorry, dynamic pages in the [IMG] tags are not allowed

How do I get around this?

Edited by Benhamin, 12 August 2004 - 10:16 AM.

[Cotuit]

Benhamin, on Aug 12 2004, 12:14 PM, said:

Sorry, dynamic pages in the [IMG] tags are not allowed

How do I get around this?

Sometimes you can drill down to the image source and get to the actual URL.

Alternately, you can post a link to the image without the [IMG] tags.

[DBR96]

Quote

In Atlanta, same story: The "Downtown Connector", a.k.a. I-75/85 is between twelve and 16 lanes. If you are on I-75N, you'll have to cross 4 lanes to continue on 75 past the split. I-85 North dips into 75 on the right, but you'll have to cross 4 lanes to your left to stay on I-85. This lane switching is dangerous because anxious drivers have to slip across these lanes at the last minute.

Fortunately, you have a good 10 miles to make your move, so it's really not that bad.

[roads-scholar]

This may not qualify as the worst but try southbound I-95 approaching the I-10 interchange in Jacksonville, Florida. Here's how it works: about two miles away you had better start preparing to enter the left lane. Just under the I-10 bridge I-95 makes a wickedly sharp turn to the left before climbing to cross the St. Johns river.

[Topher1]

roads-scholar, on May 9 2005, 01:54 PM, said:

This may not qualify as the worst but try southbound I-95 approaching the I-10 interchange in Jacksonville, Florida.  Here's how it works:  about two miles away you had better start preparing to enter the left lane.  Just under the I-10 bridge I-95 makes a wickedly sharp turn to the left before climbing to cross the St. Johns river.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I agree that this is one of the worst. And just think, a few years ago, it was even worse. I-95 used to narrow to a single lane, right in the middle of a major city at this intersection. At least there's 2 lanes now that continue on as I-95. Although its better now, this intersection still is terrible for those travelling southbound in I-95.

The other part that I think sucks, is for people on northbound 95. The two congested 95 lanes join the free-flowing lanes exiting off of I-10. It's already difficult to merge, but then the right lane of I-95 quickly becomes an exit only. If that's not enough, the street that it exits on is possibly the smallest, most dangerous off ramp I've ever seen. The 20 mph posted speed limit on the ramp even seems excessive to me. For a road that services sooo many clueless tourists, I think there should be some serious improvements.

[bobliocatt]

^That interchange is now under construction, so this shouldn't be a problem in a couple of years.



I'd like to nominate, Tampa's Veterans Expressway/Courtney Campbell interchange was one of the most dangerous in the country. There are 4 northbound lanes on the Veterans, approaching the interchange. The two left lanes (the fast lanes) come to a complete stop by the way of a full blown traffic signal, while the right lanes curve north.

What makes this complicated is the on ramp from the airport interchange (a couple of hundred feet south) merges with traffic on the right, so several cars attempt to cross five lanes of traffic to get on Courtney Campbell, while cars in the fast lanes attempt to merge right to avoid the stoplight.

BTW, this entire section of highway is also on a sharp curve.

[MV_Klahowya]

I'll add a few from my area (Seattle):

(1) Columbia St. On-ramp to Alaskan Way Viaduct. The ramp starts out straight, then curves slightly to the right, then makes a sharp turn to the left. Not only that, but the ramp merges with the left (fast) lane on the viaduct . Besides having to merge into the fast lane, another problem is that the exit to 1'st Ave exits from the left lane (which can be a problem whenever the Seahawks or Mariners are in town because the traffic exiting onto 1'st often backs up beyond the on-ramp).

(2) Various on-off ramps from I-5 in downtown Seattle. Several ramps to/from Northbound I-5 connect to the left lane. If that wasn't bad enough, the entrance from Union St. merges onto I-5 just before the Mercer St exit (both from the left lane). Even worse, the number of through lanes on I-5 decreases through downtown Seattle !!! Whoever the bloody blue hell designed this freeway clearly failed Freeway Design 101.

(3) 4'th Ave on-ramp onto the West Seattle bridge (closed since 1993). The problem with the ramp was that you had to merge the instant you got to the top of the ramp. In 1993, someone driving westbound was forced into the eastbound lanes (there was no barrier at that time) by a truck merging from the ramp and crashed head-on with another vehicle (the driver of the car forced into oncoming traffic was killed). As a result, the ramp was closed.

(4) I-405/SR 167 interchange in Renton: 2 busy freeways + cloverleaf interchange = trouble. A flyover ramp from SB 405 to the SB 167 ramp was built few years ago.

(5) I-405/SR 520 interchange in Bellevue: Before the itnerchange was modified in the early 90's, the ramp from NB 405 to EB 520 had 2 trouble spots. At one point, there was a spot where traffic coming from SB 405 merged onto the ramp. At the end of the ramp, traffic had to deal with cars exiting 520 onto 405.

-- LB

Edited by MV_Klahowya, 10 May 2005 - 01:53 PM.

[dexxtreme]

The I-20 / I-59 - I-65 Interchange in Birmingham, AL:

http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=33.520210,-...18539&t=k&hl=en

This interchange (locally known as Malfunction Junction) is just northwest of downtown. On both the east-west and north-south roads, opposing traffic lanes cross over each other (you end up driving on the left side of the median), so half of the ramps are left-handed ramps. Both the eastbound and southbound highways are less than a mile away from the main exits to the north half of downtown. Two of the main bridges were recently replaced due to the fact that they burned down when tanker trucks ran into them. They have recently completed a lot of work in this area, however it is still fairly congested.

The I-20 / I-59 Split in Birmingham, AL

http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=33.547161,-...18539&t=k&hl=en

The ramp from I-20 westbound to I-20 / I-59 west/south is also called Dead Man's curve because of the truck accidents that have happened on it. (I find it ironic that it is right next to a cemetary...) There are warning lights, flashers, signs and speedbumps all throughout that ramp. It is also right on top of one of the main east/west roads in that area (US 11 / 1st Ave. N).

I-4 - I-275 Interchange in Tampa, FL

http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=27.962136,-...18539&t=k&hl=en

This interchange (also locally known as Malfunction Junction) is just northeast of downtown. Northbound I-275 merges 3 lanes of traffic with two more lanes from downtown onramps (which by themselves are in a weird criss-cross configuration) and splits them between northbound I-275 and eastbound I-4. (I-4 is a massive traffic jam for about 10 hours a day, and usually has one lane of northbound traffic backed up for about 2 miles before the interchange. Southbound traffic takes the 2 lanes of eastbound traffic from I-4, crams them into one lane, and takes the 2 lanes of southbound traffic from I-275 and merges them all into 3 lanes of traffic less than a mile away from one of the main exits into downtown Tampa. (I-275 traffic headed downtown must merge through the traffic from I-4 to exit.) The other exit into downtown is actually part of the interchange as well, and using that exit was just as dangerous from either direction. Fortunately they are in the process of rebuilding the entire interchange (just about halfway finished), so this will be all fixed in a couple of years.

[DigitalSky]

Back when I-85 was being widened near Concord Mills, where 485 meets it to go north towards Greensboro on 85, the merging lane was like one foot wide and it was horrible and i almost got hit by an 18 wheeler

[QC704]

The I-75/miller road/US 23/I-69 interchange in Flint is about the worst I've ever been on.

[MJLO]

you can add US23 at I-96 just outside Brighton Mi to that list, I don't know what it is about some drivers, generally in either buicks, or Minivans. But they think they can merge into suicide lanes going about 45. LEARN TO FRICKEN FREEWAY DRIVE FOLKS!

[Justin]

Hwy 401 to Hwy 400 Northbound in Toronto.