Jughandles and Michigan Left Turns

[Jerseyman4]

For anyone who do not know the terms, click below:

Jughandle

Michigan Left Turn

The superstreet project on US 15/501 in Chapel Hill is being looked at as an alternative over the existening intersection. This project will eliminate the need for a traffic signal but i do not see any downsides to the project other than out of towners being unfamilar with how to manuever the area.

I cant find the article i was looking at a few years back but a experimental jughandle was done in Kinston along US 70 back in the 1980s. The article said that most people did not understand the idea of it and some people just turned left from the highway instead of doing the jughandle process.

What do you all think?

[Hotlanta]

I don't like the idea of going out of your way just to make a left turn on a jughandle. The chances of getting in an accident are still the same and I think this would even be more dangerous since you have trafffic coming right at you when you turn on to the new road that want to make a right also. The superstreet makes alot of sense to me and even though it may be more confusing I think it is safer and more efficient.

[orulz]

I know of at least one jughandle in NC, in Asheville at the intersection of Patton and Clingman. When traveling west on Patton, you don't turn directly left to go south on Clingman; you are supposed to turn right after the intersection and loop around.

I'm not sure why the intersection was built like this. I don't think that locals "get" it, though, and I seem to recall people turning left there anyway.

[MR-2]

The Michigan left seems even worse than just having a regular left in a light cycle. Drivers are forced to enter into strong right-of-way traffic, transfer through however many lanes, and then switch lanes again once they make the right turn.

For overhead intersections, cloverleaves are good. Cloverleaves take up a lot of space, and prevent pedestrian traffic, so they're really only good for interstates and turnpikes that never enter urban areas. For major highways in urban areas, offramps with left and right turns and traffic lights are better.

I've been on this 15-501 intersection many times, and I absolutely hate it. It is not the worst though. The way it combines with East Franklin is terrible. If they fixed that with a proper jughandle, instead of lots of little streets that culminate at two other intersections, the problems at those intersections would get much better.

[dubone]

I like the Superstreet proposal for Chapel Hill. I think I read once that Cary is considering eventual conversion of its major thoroughfares to super streets.

Singapore uses superstreets often as well.

Jughandles are a bit annoying sometimes, especially when you don't know whether it will be a regular left turn lane or a jughandle. However, I agree that they are safer, and more efficient for the main thoroughfare.

Jughandles should definitely be built on commercial arterials like Capitol Blvd, 15-501, Independence Blvd, etc.

[Jerseyman4]

For overhead intersections, cloverleaves are good. Cloverleaves take up a lot of space, and prevent pedestrian traffic, so they're really only good for interstates and turnpikes that never enter urban areas. For major highways in urban areas, offramps with left and right turns and traffic lights are better.

I dont like the cloverleaf at all because its a traffic hazard and aggressive driving becomes the result of people exiting/entering in the weave lane. They should be all gone or at least be added collector/distributor lanes like how US 1 at I-40 is in Raleigh and I-95 at US 264 in Wilson (thats in a rural area but with high traffic volumes). Trumpet or trumpet to trumpet interchanges are the way to go along freeways however they do take up some space but eliminates any intersections with a stop sign at the end of the ramp, leaving the freeway.

Jughandles should definitely be built on commercial arterials like Capitol Blvd, 15-501, Independence Blvd, etc

I agree. Capital Blvd in my opinion should be tested first because an 8 lane highway should never have left turning lanes. I could opt for turning lanes in a 6 lane blvd but thats it.

The photo below is a trumpet to trumpet interchange:

[LJinPA]

I'm familiar with the rotaries of New England and there is one in Gettysburg. I have seen Michigan Lefts... but are any of them the same as those "roundabouts" I've heard mentioned in Charlotte?

[MR-2]

Roundabouts are just right-handed circular intersections. Everyone can enter and drive away with less slowing down.

Michigan Lefts are really just normal U-turns on highways with big medians, but they become the only way to make a left turn short of finding three roads that turn right.

[DigitalSky]

I like the Superstreet proposal for Chapel Hill. I think I read once that Cary is considering eventual conversion of its major thoroughfares to super streets.

Singapore uses superstreets often as well.

Jughandles are a bit annoying sometimes, especially when you don't know whether it will be a regular left turn lane or a jughandle. However, I agree that they are safer, and more efficient for the main thoroughfare.

Jughandles should definitely be built on commercial arterials like Capitol Blvd, 15-501, Independence Blvd, etc.

I agree, I like the superstreet idea too.

[Hotlanta]

I really do think they should choose the Superstreet idea to redo the 15/501, Erwin Drive layout. But it is somewhat confusing.

[Subway Scoundrel]

If people/visitors think our cities are confusing now, add jughandles and MLTs and it will make it worse. I go to South Jersey (PHilly) for business and I get so frustrated. Sometimes I can see the hotel but it takes 30 minutes to get there and 20 miles to put together the magical puzzle just to get to the front door.

I always end up in the worst part of Canden in the middle of night trying to find my way back.

[ChiefJoJo]

Superstreets work very well in reducing thru traffic congestion for a large thoroughfare with numerous moderate volume intersections, such as US 15-501 between CHill and Durham. Another good upcoming application will likely be on US 17 west of Wilmington. Get info here.

[Jerseyman4]

I always end up in the worst part of Canden in the middle of night trying to find my way back.

Camden is even scary in the daytime!

All i do is find US 130 and im home free

[NcSc74]

NCDOT does not need something else to muck up. They have enough problems as is. Can anyone explain why they are building a loop around G-boro but keeping a 40 buisness designation on the southwest side. As if the signage was confusing enough. Also why build two interstates that don't even connect to you own states largest port in wilmington. It is a big slap in the face for Wilmington who is trying to gain ground on other east coast ports. How can they if there is no infrastructure to support growth. Take a look at the vision transpo map on the NCDOT website and see if you can make since of all the mess. Especially in the Triad.

[Hotlanta]

NCDOT does not need something else to muck up. They have enough problems as is. Can anyone explain why they are building a loop around G-boro but keeping a 40 buisness designation on the southwest side. As if the signage was confusing enough. Also why build two interstates that don't even connect to you own states largest port in wilmington. It is a big slap in the face for Wilmington who is trying to gain ground on other east coast ports. How can they if there is no infrastructure to support growth. Take a look at the vision transpo map on the NCDOT website and see if you can make since of all the mess. Especially in the Triad.

I-74 will connect to Wilmington eventually and I-20 wil someday connect if South Carolina ever gets off of their butts. Judging from a recent NCDOT proposal, US 17 will be a limited access highway all the way through the state, so that should be good for Wilmington. Also, I-140 will be coming all the way around an dmaking a stop in southern downtown Wilmington. So I would say Wilmington has alot of highways coming around and to it, only if they get built which probably won't be anytime soon.

[Jerseyman4]

The Michigan Left Turn has made its presence on the US 1 Vass-Cameron bypass over at Crains Creek Road and Aiken Road.

[waverider]

I-74 will connect to Wilmington eventually and I-20 wil someday connect if South Carolina ever gets off of their butts. Judging from a recent NCDOT proposal, US 17 will be a limited access highway all the way through the state, so that should be good for Wilmington. Also, I-140 will be coming all the way around an dmaking a stop in southern downtown Wilmington. So I would say Wilmington has alot of highways coming around and to it, only if they get built which probably won't be anytime soon.

I wasn't aware that extending I-20 from Florence to Wilmington was ever even an option. All the talk we've heard has been about the I-73/74 corridor. I would like to see a more direct route to get from, say, Columbia and parts west to Wilmington, but they have enough issues trying to zone for those two highways.

[Jerseyman4]

Here ya go folks; the M- Left Turns have made it into NC (sorry for the photo quality)

Location

Aiken Road/US 1 Southbound/Lakeview, Moore County area just south of the new Vass-Cameron Bypass

[Eastwestrob]

It was always hard for me to grasp the idea to get in the right lane to make a left turn. New Jersey is like this thru out the state and took some time to get used to.