Ideas for the 85 / 385 interchange

[gs3]

In Jacksonville, Florida at the moment and yesterday evening while driving north on 95, there is a decorative bridge over the freeway when you enter the city, with large, dimensional letters that spell Jacksonville. I started thinking about the 85/385 interchange. We all know their are some sort of plans for this. Do we know a timeline? More importantly, wanted to start a thread for everybody to put in their ideas with their vision of a redone 85/385 interchange. What kind of statement do you want it to make? What do you envision?

[GSP Tiger]

I would like to see the interchange more effiecient and functionable before worrying about the landscape and decorative touches.

I-85 Exit 51A @ SC-146 (Woodruf Road):

This intersection began as a partial cloverleaf interchange. It was converted to its current form in the early 190s to accomodate the southward extension of I-385. With much traffic at The Shops at Greenridge, The Point and the coming Magnolia Park Town Center, I recommend the single point urban interchange (i.e. I-85 Exit 56 @ SC-14, I-26 Exit 22 @ SC-296).

I-85 exits 51B and 51C @ I-385 southbound Exit 36 and northbound exits 36A and 36B:

Built in the early 1960s, I-385 began at I-85 as a trumpet interchange. The intersection was rebuilt circa the late 1970s to accomodate the southern extension to the Golden Strip communities.

The interchange must catch up to the recent widening of six lanes from I-85 to downtown and to accomodate its overcapacity.

I-85 southbound exit 51B and I-385 northbound exit 36B are two cloverleaf ramps short and dangerous. I-385 exit 36 traffic to Spartanburg and I-85 northbound exit 51C are two long ramps that loop to the left after crossing above or beneath its targeted route; its ramps take up more room and are not direct enough.

Suggestions:

-Eliminate the cloverleaf ramps of I-85 southbound exit 51B and I-385 northbound Exit 36B.

-Rebuild I-85 southbound exit 51B to a ramp identical to I-85 northbound exit 51C, or rebuild both as third level flyovers.

-Rebuild I-385 northbound exit 36B and I-385 southbound Exit 36's Spartanburg ramp as top (fourth) level flyovers.

[g-man430]

I would like to see the interchange more effiecient and functionable before worrying about the landscape and decorative touches.

I-85 Exit 51A @ SC-146 (Woodruf Road):

This intersection began as a partial cloverleaf interchange. It was converted to its current form in the early 190s to accomodate the southward extension of I-385. With much traffic at The Shops at Greenridge, The Point and the coming Magnolia Park Town Center, I recommend the single point urban interchange (i.e. I-85 Exit 56 @ SC-14, I-26 Exit 22 @ SC-296).

I-85 exits 51B and 51C @ I-385 southbound Exit 36 and northbound exits 36A and 36B:

Built in the early 1960s, I-385 began at I-85 as a trumpet interchange. The intersection was rebuilt circa the late 1970s to accomodate the southern extension to the Golden Strip communities.

The interchange must catch up to the recent widening of six lanes from I-85 to downtown and to accomodate its overcapacity.

I-85 southbound exit 51B and I-385 northbound exit 36B are two cloverleaf ramps short and dangerous. I-385 exit 36 traffic to Spartanburg and I-85 northbound exit 51C are two long ramps that loop to the left after crossing above or beneath its targeted route; its ramps take up more room and are not direct enough.

Suggestions:

-Eliminate the cloverleaf ramps of I-85 southbound exit 51B and I-385 northbound Exit 36B.

-Rebuild I-85 southbound exit 51B to a ramp identical to I-85 northbound exit 51C, or rebuild both as third level flyovers.

-Rebuild I-385 northbound exit 36B and I-385 southbound Exit 36's Spartanburg ramp as top (fourth) level flyovers.

Sounds complicated. I say we leave it the way it is and add some nice landscaping and other features to it.

[GvilleSC]

I say widen 385 and do so by just building a bridge over 85 kind of above the current 385... Hmmm ok, well, i'm going for Height here... something dramatic and impactful!

then of course, landscaping, fountain... might as well let a corporation build an office in the one of the areas between ramps and such HAHA... umm, flags?

Hmmm, something that SCREAMS Greenville.

[goodbye]

Sounds complicated. I say we leave it the way it is and add some nice landscaping and other features to it.

That is the easy answer, but not a real solution to the problem at hand. Currently, the whole interchange is a mess at both rush hours, and with increased traffic over the next several years, the problems will only become worse. Effective flyovers are a necessity, as is a complete widening of both I-385 and I-85.

[GSP Tiger]

That is the easy answer, but not a real solution to the problem at hand. Currently, the whole interchange is a mess at both rush hours, and with increased traffic over the next several years, the problems will only become worse. Effective flyovers are a necessity, as is a complete widening of both I-385 and I-85.

Agreed.

It is certain I-385 can be widened to six lanes to I-185 and onward through Simpsonville. The work from exits 30 to 36 can be a continuation of the tree median we currently see.

I-85's widening to eight lanes should be in the early planning stages, especially from below Laurens Road to past Pelham Road. I think the shoulders were made wide enough in the mid-1990s construction between exits 42 (I-185) to 46 (SC-291/Augusta and Mauldin roads).

This is perhaps the major road project to eye within the next decade.

[breed]

I think any key to helping resolve issues with the interchange... is somehow separating traffic that wants to get off at Woodruff Rd from traffic that wants to bypass it.

I don't know if it is best to simply widen things... maybe an overpass... maybe a series of automobile catapults. That would be fun.

[wellen]

Rather than simply using an emoticon, I would like to say that you just made me laugh out loud. Thank you.

[g-man430]

How about not widening I-85 or I-385 past I-85 at all. Use the money for mass transit instead. If you widen the roads, all it is going to do is just cause more traffic and more sprawl. Don't believe me, just drive down I-85 one day to Atlanta and see for yourself.

[GSP Tiger]

How about not widening I-85 or I-385 past I-85 at all. Use the money for mass transit instead. If you widen the roads, all it is going to do is just cause more traffic and more sprawl. Don't believe me, just drive down I-85 one day to Atlanta and see for yourself.

Do you want the 85/385 interchange to become a parking lot like spaghetti junction in Atlanta? That would be a silly smart idea.

The fact is in - both corridors and the interchange needs major work. SCDOT knows about this and are in the early stages of overhauling it. We will not see something realistic for a minimal five years.

I support the idea of a mass transit in the area. That option will be explored later on. Fixing the interchange for once has more priority.

[g-man430]

The SCDOT barely has enough money to widen the roads now as it is, so I just say leave it the way it is and then once in turns into a parking lot like in Atlanta, they will finally start to look at better mass transit. All i'm trying to say is that if we had a better mass transit system implemented here, then there would be no need to widen it in the first place. If we widen it now, we'll just have to widen it again in 10 years and so on. It's not going to help get mass transit here by doing this. Also, you know who's money their going to use to widen this interchange, don't you? Yours.

[GSP Tiger]

I'm sorry to see you want Greenville to have its own version of Atlanta's spaghetti junction. Leaving it in status quo will not help eliminate its current problems.

I woudl like to see mass transit happen sooner than later. Is it already part in Greenville's Vision 2025 plan?

[distortedlogic]

I underdstand your point g-man, but I think mass transit would be many times more expensive to create, since it would be essentially from scratch. And I think you would have a VERY hard time getting people around here to use it. It would only be worth it if it was used by a whole lot of people. I would be afraid it would end up like the southern connector. And they would still use my and your money to create it. By contrast, the foundation for a decent highway system is already in place, and if the state would ever use some forsight (ie going to ten lanes on 85 from 153 to 14 next time they widen instead of to eight, then ten a few years later) then it would help tremendously in the long run. Think if they had used forsight a few years ago and gone to 8 lanes (planning ahead) in the first place. I think some sort of mass transit should be included in plans for our area, but I doubt it will do little to relieve congestion noticeably. With our location on the 85 corridor, and our growth in business the traffic will increase exponentially in the future whether we have a mass transit or not.

[g-man430]

I'm sorry to see you want Greenville to have its own version of Atlanta's spaghetti junction. Leaving it in status quo will not help eliminate its current problems.

I would like to see mass transit happen sooner than later. Is it already part in Greenville's Vision 2025 plan?

I'm sorry too, but with the way this state is, it seems like it's the only way to me, at least to get mass transit here faster. Yes, it's on their Vision 2025 plan. I sure hope it happens before 2025 though. I know it will be a while before mass transit gets here, because we don't have enough people yet, but still, it would help get it here faster.

[goodbye]

The SCDOT barely has enough money to widen the roads now as it is, so I just say leave it the way it is and then once in turns into a parking lot like in Atlanta, they will finally start to look at better mass transit. All i'm trying to say is that if we had a better mass transit system implemented here, then there would be no need to widen it in the first place. If we widen it now, we'll just have to widen it again in 10 years and so on. It's not going to help get mass transit here by doing this. Also, you know who's money their going to use to widen this interchange, don't you? Yours.

Actually, mass transit would help, but not completely remove the need to widen both interstates and redesign the access ramps/flyovers. You have to bring the ever-growing population regionally and nationally into play. In its current state, this interchange is simply scary to navigate at times. With a steady increse in the number of travelers stopping in Greenville on their way to or from Atlanta, It will become a living nightmare, if nothing is done to create options for better flow.

[g-man430]

I give up. Widen the roads. "We don't make the roads, we make them wider."

[RestedTraveler]

Ah, to be young again.

I suggest (for what it's worth): Don't lose focus on your desire to see Mass Transit improve. Be an agent of change. Be a catalyst. "Drive" it home. Make it your life's goal (or one of them).

[g-man430]

That's gonna be one of my life goals before I bite the dust and hopefully everybody elses: to see LRT here.

[gs3]

Some great ideas for dealing with the traffic. What about ideas for visual interest / gateway to the mountains kind of thing?

[goodbye]

I'd love to see an integration of lasers into the "landscaping"/gateway.