The Roadgeeks of Simtropolis

[Rymac91 15]

For a while now I've been looking at various 2 phase intersection designs, primarly the Continuous Flow Intersection (CFI) and the Parallel Flow Intersection(PFI). 2 phase intersections work by changing the left turning traffic so it turns at the same time as either thru traffic or cross traffic.

In an CFI arrangement, the left turning traffic will cross the opposing thru traffic before the main intersection, then will turn left at the intersection. This design allows for significantly more left turning traffic than a standard intersection, but because of the cross over it makes the intersection wider and the needed approach longer.

Here's an example of a 4 legged CFI:

Now presently in the United States there are no 4 legged CFIs, but in Mexico there are http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLKOiIHooTA. The craziest I've found is actually a Double CFI with 3 crossing roads and a Double left crossover. It resembles a game of Frogger!

Even more amazing is this intersection is still in use 23 years later.

Now as for PFIs... they are rather recent development. Unlike their CFI cousin, the PFI doesn't have left turning cross over at the start. The left turning traffic avoids the intersection entirely, turning left right in front of it and moving with the crossing traffic. The left turning traffic then waits at a light to cross back over to the right side. The benefit of this design is it doesn't require as long of an approach as the CFI does, and it also allows for significantly more traffic than an ordinary intersection, but because the crossover happens at the end, it means the left turning traffic will have to wait at 2 different lights.

Here's an example of a 4 legged PFI:

The only PFI I could find was a 2 legged version in Camden, NJ.

[TekindusT 3,809]

@rymac91: What's the name of software you're using in both videos? Is there any way to get a demo (or free) versions of them? They look really interesting.

[Rymac91 15]

@rymac91: What's the name of software you're using in both videos? Is there any way to get a demo (or free) versions of them? They look really interesting.

Those are not my videos, just videos posted on YouTube simulating those intersection designs. As for the software, I believe VISSIM was used for the PFI example, but I don't know what was used for the CFI example.

[MandelSoft 2,775]

I always thought medianless avenues were something very rare here in the Netherlands... turns out I have been driving over one for two years (but that was a while ago): http://goo.gl/maps/DTjBS

[Charlie_Zane 963]

I've always admired the tunnel entrances on the Eastlink

[Durfsurn 539]

Eastlink is such a modern tollway that it boasts nice things...

...in some places

[Haljackey 17,398]

Couple cool junctions in Toronto:

Highways 401-403-410

Highways 401, 403, 410 by Nicolas Demers, on Flickr

Highways QEW-Gardiner-427

27 Large interchange on 401 in Toronto 1 of 2 by International Joint Commission, on Flickr

[Halen Of Dania 350]

While I don't consider myself a roadgeek, I am interested in roads and highway stuff.

I also take some photos of roads for encyclopedic interests (like Wikipedia) and also do some timelapse driving videography.

In fact I just made one yesterday. If you like it I have some others on my Youtube account.

Awesome video hal. I enjoy these time lapse video's some people do on Youtube. And great idea with the thread mandelsoft!

This is the High five stack interchange in Dallas TX. At the intersection of US 75 and I-635.

[Higu 52]

Jersey has some wicked bridges. Apparently the widest bridge in the world. Garden State Parkway's Driscoll Bridge

I also just love the Pulaski Skyway. US 1/9

3.5 miles of skyway. 135 feet off the ground connecting Newark and Jersey city

[Haljackey 17,398]

Worked on a couple more videos over the weekend, with annotation facts as well!

Hope you enjoy!

[Haljackey 17,398]

Snowplow Parade

[Higu 52]

Newark Airport Interchange. 2 Interstates, 2 US Highways, An Airport, and one lone State Highway

[ROFLyoshi 1,760]

Gotta love me some roadgeekery! I knew I wasn't the only one! As a kid I used to read the Melways (The Melbourne Street Map) for fun studying the interchanges! As google maps is my best friend!

My favourite interchange I've driven on is the M1-M3/Eastlink stack interchange. I've got two pics guess which one is from Apple Maps

Oooh I live closeby to that interchange though I don't usually go through it

I prefer the West Gate Freeway one in the city with those arches <3

Oh I'm glad I'm not the only one here!

Considering the new freeway has opened in Melbourne, I may give it a drive tomorrow

[Durfsurn 539]

I don't think it will cut down on travels times by more than 10 minutes. Is it just to reduce non-local traffic in Frankston?

[__A 792]

I'm not quite sure whether Peninsula Link was to reduce times in Frankston but I think it'll attract Melbournians to visit the Mornington Peninsula area. I was thinking to go on it today but changed my mind I like the sound walls though...

[Charlie_Zane 963]

The peninsular link was very busy, (I didn't go on it, I drove past it)

Traffic was backed up for ages, It was the day it opened though.

[ROFLyoshi 1,760]

Even though I live in the eastern suburbs, I am down that way a fair bit and will use it on occasion. I didn't realise it was only two lanes though.

It looks as if it its getting quite busy already. I drove to Sorrento before the Australia Day weekend... and broke down on it.

[Haljackey 17,398]

Some vids I made

 

World's Busiest Highway:

 

World's Busiest Truck Route:

 

 

Other timelapse driving videos from me here: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3Yl0lRNSH1hES4_9Dp7gP9YwFkFqclxU

[timmie 988]

Hm, I live in Belgium, I'm not quite sure if this is the right country for roadgeeks. We do have an extensive road network and we were among the first to do so (which also explains the state of some roads in this country).

 

One of the more special interchanges is this one, Mechelen-Noord on the E19-highway. It features a left entrance:

 

 

It looks like this because the E19 was supposed to be a super-highway with very few interchanges. So, the outer lanes are a normal highways, and the inside lanes were meant to be the superhighway. Of course the superhighway wasn't build, but you can clearly see the traces: very wide bridges and a very wide median (and some strange interchanges, like this one).

 

I also love GTI's (Grands Travaux Inutiles, big useless infrastructure works).

 

This should have been a highway. The plans changed and only the bridges were built.

 

 

This is an interchange that is clearly only half in use, because the highway was never completed (but in a few years, nearly 50 years after it was built, it will be used as an on- and offramp).

 

[ROFLyoshi 1,760]

The last one is like the I-70 in Baltimore, where it abruptly ends in an interchange where one end is simply a car park.

[Haljackey 17,398]

I made a timelapse of Highway 401 at night:

 

 

Dam thing is near impossible to film during the daytime. Always so congested... It is the world's busiest highway after all

[Hellken 1,658]

I found this on this page: [http://www.crazyjunkyard.com/astounding-japanese-highways-bridges-interchanges/] and on flickr, Ken Ohyama's Japan Interchange Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/20013727@N02/sets/72157603079316181/

[TekindusT 3,809]

My admiration doesn't go for the photographer but for the engineers who have designed that interchanges, especially the first one. Another way of art for me..

[Cyclone Boom 17,031]

Gravelly Hill Interchange (aka Spaghetti Junction)
Birmingham, UK

• The largest road interchange in the UK
• Opened: 24 May 1972
• Serves 18 different routes
• Covers a 30 acre site
• 559 concrete columns, up to 80 feet high
• Spread across 5 levels
• Average 210,000 vehicles per day
• Costs an estimated £7 million per year to maintain

 

Larger map
 
 

Videos (best I could find):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKA-utioNCU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2AEACgpBGE
 
Other video

[TekindusT 3,809]

Just my two cents about a very surprising and special highway I have just "discovered":

 

(Yeah, I'm using a Polish friend computer to post this)

 

Due to my commuting, I have to drive the Bundesautobahn A113 in Berlin all the way, since its beginning in Neukoelln up to its end in Schoenefelder Kreutz, when it becomes the A13. Even though most of it is limited to 80 km/h, it is hard to get bored while driving on it. 

 

A lot of action is tightly packed in a short stretch of less than 20 km. You pass by 9 exits and interchanges, 2 tunnels, 3 bridges over canals, an airport (SXF), an incomplete airport (BER), trenches, elevated stretches... All in a 3 lane per direction layout. At some point, when BER opens its doors (if some time does), you'll even have planes flying low over your head while passing by.

 

 

In my humble opinion, one of the funniest (although slowest) highways I have ever driven in. Let's see if it is that funny during Winter and snowy days...

[Haljackey 17,398]

Gravelly Hill Interchange (aka Spaghetti Junction)

 

Videos (best I could find):

 

Great finds, I enjoyed!

 

Here's another timelapse driving video I made showcasing HOV lanes:

 

 

 

Also yesterday I got a new camera. Took a quick pic (with my phone) showing my dash layout. Pretty simple.. Just two sided tape and a flexible tripod.

[nhgriffith 179]

I thought I'd upload some of the interesting sections of Interstate and Highway from my area here.

 

 

This is the south end of Fayetteville, Arkansas.  As you can see at the north end of the picture, it's the beginning of apartment complexes.  The baseball park is George Cole Field at Baum Stadium, where the Arkansas Razorback baseball team plays.

 

There's also the county prison, a beer distribution center (Budweiser I think), a Tyson processing plant, and an RV campground in this aerial photo.  But the feature of the photo are the intersections.  Below, I've added some color coding to help explain what everything is...

 

 

Lol, like my extraordinarily crude MS Paint skills?  Also, I tried drawing the lines parallel-ish to the roads so as not to draw over anything.

 

So, starting from the left...

 

The purple line represents Arkansas Highway 112.  Once you cross the major intersection going north, this road becomes known as "Razorback Road" throughout the city.  The University of Arkansas baseball stadium, football stadium, softball stadium, indoor track facility, outdoor track facility, and tennis facility all have Razorback Road addresses.  The basketball stadium is on a cross street, but the only thing between the basketball stadium and Razorback Road is a grass field.  Razorback Road ends at the north end of the football stadium, and 112 meanders over to Garland Street, which we'll get back to in a later post where I discuss the north end of what is known as the Fullbright Expressway (the orange line, I'll explain that more in a bit).

 

The dark blue line up the left edge of the image is Interstate 540.  This interstate begins in the south in Fort Smith, Arkansas.  It's a branch off of Interstate 40, which goes through Oklahoma City, Tulsa, (Edit: I just realized, I'm not entirely certain where 40 goes west of Arkansas.  When I go to OKC/Tulsa, I take US-412 west, so whether or not I-40 goes through here may or may not be accurate) Little Rock, and Memphis.  Interstate 540 continues north through Bentonville, AR, and work is currently being done to extend I-540 up to the Arkansas-Missouri border (and I'm not sure where all it goes once we get into Missouri).  For reference, the exit number at the I-540/AR-112 interchange is #60.  This is the southern-most Fayetteville exit.  

 

 

The orange line represents the Fullbright Expressway.  This is the southern end to the Fullbright Expressway.  Today, it simply serves as the link between 71-B and I-540 on the north and south ends of town.  Most of the expressway is simply overlap of I-540, but the Expressway was built before I-540, which goes a long way toward explaining the funky interchange between the Expressway, I-540, and AR-112.  I don't know enough about interchanges to name all the different ones at play here, maybe someone else could name them, but if the picture is confusing, I can explain how traffic flows through this interchange.  But... let me just clarify... this isn't really the busy end of town at all.  Hardly anyone commutes from Fayetteville south, and only very few people commute from south of Fayetteville north.

 

The pink line in the middle is part of the Arkansas-Missouri railroad.  I don't know much about it... but that's a rail line if anyone is interested.

 

The light blue line on the right side of the picture is US Highway 71.  Now, technically, US 71 follows the Fullbright Expressway on I-540, and the light blue line north of the Expressway is just 71-B, but at one point in time, this was just regular old US 71.  The Expressway/71 "interchange" is just a simple stop light intersection with a couple of slip lanes.

 

 

Up next?  The I-540/AR-112/Fullbright Expressway/US-71 interchange on the north end of town.

[nhgriffith 179]

So, this is the north end of the Fullbright Expressway where it ends.

 

 

 

 I-540 and US 71, and AR-112 all continue north from here.  AR-112 doesn't really have anything to do with the expressway, it just so happens to cross I-540 twice, and both times are near where the Expressway begins/ends.  Anyway, you'll also find in this picture... a Drive in Movie theater, a regular movie theater, a Wal-Mart, a Sam's Club, several other big box stores, etc.  This is definitely the shopping district for Fayetteville.  Just north of this image is Springdale.  The city of Fayetteville is mostly between the south end of this photo and the north end of the previous photo.  The I-540/Fullbright Expressway interchange is pretty neat I think.  However... where these two roads merge together going southbound is a major pain and a major traffic nightmare.  This is especially true considering the bulk of Fayetteville's residents live off the next three exits south of this Interchange (the first exit being the I-540/AR-112 exit in the bottom left of the picture), and a LARGE portion of Fayetteville's population works north of here.  There are three major corporations headquartered within 30 minutes (60-90 during rush hour) north of this Interchange: Wal-Mart, Tyson, JB Hunt.

 

So, here it is all marked up...

 

I kept the same color coding as the previous post.  And even though this post is below the previous post, this area is NORTH of the previous post.

 

 

You know, the Arkansas-Missouri Rail line also has literally nothing to do with any of these interchanges, it just happens to cross under the expressway in the same fashion on both ends... interesting.

[Hellken 1,658]

Does this exist? 

[nhgriffith 179]

Fayetteville area road construction:

 

Okay... I don't have any pictures of the actual road construction right off hand... but I figured I can at least post some "Before" pictures of the areas that are under construction for now and explain what is being done, if anyone is interested.

 

 

This is a closer image of the Fullbright Expressway / US-71 interchange from the previous post toward the north end of Fayetteville.  

 

What you may notice about this image is that while there's a way for the Eastbound Fullbright traffic to go north or south on US-71/US-71B, and there's a way for Southbound US-71 traffic to go Westbound onto the Expressway (in order to get to I-540 in order to go north or south), what's missing is a ramp for the NORTHBOUND US-71B traffic to get on to the Expressway  in order to get to I-540.  

 

So if you want to get to I-540 from this part of town, you have to continue north to this big intersection:

 

 

And make a U-turn from Northbound US-71 to Southbound US-71 (you can see there's a car actually doing this in this picture).

 

 

 

So, right now, they're building a Flyover ramp that will allow the Northbound traffic to get onto the expressway, which should relieve a lot of stress from one of the worst intersection in Fayetteville (the Mall is just north of here, but plenty of people go west on Joyce street here (the cross street in the big intersection) to get to the mall.  This intersection is gridlocked during holiday shopping.

 

 

 

Anyway, they've already poured the concrete for all of the pillars for the flyover.  They're about halfway done with the very, very cool looking curved steel I-Beams.  They bring these in and put them in over night.