Author Topic: Spaghetti Bowl (Read 4250 times)

Brinestone · « **on:** August 16, 2007, 06:42:21 AM »

In Denver it's the Mousetrap. In SLC, the Spaghetti Bowl. In Dallas, they call it the High Five because there are five levels.

In the city nearest you, what do people call the place where all the highways converge in a mess of on- and off-ramps?

pooka · « **Reply #1 on:** August 16, 2007, 06:47:34 AM »

They call it a spaghetti bowl at the 95/395/495 junction south of D.C. I'm not aware of one in Baltimore. The junctions are not quite as closely overlaid (which can be really frustrating if you get on the wrong one). But the beltway here functions as it should, to absorb the impact of the incoming junctions and funnel them into the city in a semi-sane way (when there isn't construction to boot.)

I do recall that signs around Salt Lake referred to a belt route, but I never heard anyone call it that. It was always 215. In places where you have multiple n95s, that doesn't work quite so well.

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #2 on:** August 16, 2007, 06:56:06 AM »

New Jersey roads.

Farmgirl · « **Reply #3 on:** August 16, 2007, 07:38:25 AM »

gosh - I don't think I've ever heard it called anything around here - like that. I mean, the morning radio will say "accident at the juncture of I-35 and I-235" but nothing like the terms you refer to above.

Of course, we don't have very many major, multiple-stacked highways like I see in other areas. I know I was in awe of that the last time I visited Dallas -- hadn't seen anything like it.

We still have a couple we call "cloverleafs" because they really are that old (very stupid) design.

Porter · « **Reply #4 on:** August 16, 2007, 08:10:59 AM »

What's wrong with the cloverleaf design?

Farmgirl · « **Reply #5 on:** August 16, 2007, 08:14:09 AM »

I hate cloverleafs with a passion. Usually they are created much too tight (causing a lot of accidents by people not slowing down enough to negotiate the turn because they don't realize how tight it will be) and they don't allow you to get up to highway speed before merging off them onto the highway. Plus, there is often conflict between someone coming OFF one side of the cloverleaf, into the lane of someone getting ON to it a few feet further.

You would think in Kansas, where SPACE is not a problem, they could come up with something better than that.

Porter · « **Reply #6 on:** August 16, 2007, 08:20:47 AM »

Do you have a better design in mind?

Porter · « **Reply #7 on:** August 16, 2007, 08:23:50 AM »

Farmgirl · « **Reply #8 on:** August 16, 2007, 08:26:49 AM »

Well, most of the new ones DO have a better design. I think they abandoned the cloverleaf idea after the '60s.

now-adays, they build big long sweeping ramps (hence the need to sometimes triple stack them, etc.) that allow you to continue on at near highway speed as you transition from one highway to another.

Like this

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Although, admittedly, sometimes they get A Bit Carried Away

FG

pooka · « **Reply #9 on:** August 16, 2007, 08:47:37 AM »

I'm not so opposed to the cloverleaf itself. There are speed suggestions posted, which people can ignore or not; but they usually depend on weaving lanes, which most people have trouble negotiating. *Sattelite maps 2100 S* :sigh:

pooka · « **Reply #10 on:** August 16, 2007, 08:52:23 AM »

It almost looks like some vast, paved musical instrument.

One problem they used to have where 80 eastbound merged onto 15 SB was this 45 MPH corner. I think they needed a yellow sign that said "We kid you not. Forty-five (45)!!!!" And then around the corner "We told you so."

When I was working out near the airport, a lot of trucks toppled on that curve. Well, 3 in a 1 year period. But every time, it was like

Jonathon · « **Reply #11 on:** August 16, 2007, 09:00:57 AM »

Quote

One problem they used to have where 80 eastbound merged onto 15 SB was this 45 MPH corner. I think they needed a yellow sign that said "We kid you not. Forty-five (45)!!!!" And then around the corner "We told you so."

When I was working out near the airport, a lot of trucks toppled on that curve. Well, 3 in a 1 year period. But every time, it was like

I know which curve you're talking about, and you're absolutely right. In fact, all the ramps in that whole I-15/I-80/SR-201 interchange could use such warnings.

rivka · « **Reply #12 on:** August 16, 2007, 09:20:30 AM »

It will surprise none of you that we have a few.

In fact, I think I recognize at least one of those complex ones.

We have the four-level; the Hollywood Split (which doesn't look all that exciting, but can be very confusing to those not experienced with it); the El Toro Y, which is not in an area I frequent frequently, but I hear it in traffic reports all the time; the Kellogg, which I also hear about frequently.

We have a bunch more that no one has bothered to name.

Jonathon · « **Reply #13 on:** August 16, 2007, 09:28:09 AM »

o_O

rivka · « **Reply #14 on:** August 16, 2007, 09:38:49 AM »

And that is why I have always tried very hard (and for the most part, succeeded) to have jobs I didn't have to take the freeway to get to.

pooka · « **Reply #15 on:** August 16, 2007, 09:54:11 AM »

My hats of to the wackos who plan and design those things. There's a ramp in DC that ends in dirt. I don't know if it was designed wrong or they ran out of budget or what. It's the strangest thing.

I wonder if it's even still there.

Porter · « **Reply #16 on:** August 16, 2007, 09:56:38 AM »

Those pictures make me want to move to California.

rivka · « **Reply #17 on:** August 16, 2007, 09:58:56 AM »

Quote

Those pictures make me want to move to California.

Central CA?

imogen · « **Reply #18 on:** September 14, 2007, 05:50:07 AM »

I thought this was going to be a thread about restaurants.

As far as I know, they're not called anything here - certainly not in any of the cities I've lived in (2 state capitals and the national capital so far).

(Although Canberra (national capital) doesn't really count - we only have roundabouts.)

Icarus · « **Reply #19 on:** September 24, 2007, 05:35:03 PM »

I can't think of a metaphorical name or interchanges used around here.

I feel like there might be one, though, and I'm just not thinking of it.

Tante Shvester · « **Reply #20 on:** September 25, 2007, 08:03:58 AM »

Tazón de espagueti?

Ela · « **Reply #21 on:** September 25, 2007, 02:44:12 PM »

We have this nightmare in Miami called the Golden Glades Interchange, and holy crap, when I googled it I found out that it's famous (or maybe notorious would be more accurate).

It even has an entry on wikipedia and a video on youtube.

I have never heard of the term "spaghetti bowl" to refer to an interchange, but I think Golden Glades fits the term.

Primal Curve · « **Reply #22 on:** September 26, 2007, 11:52:29 AM »

Our Highway Interchanges are named after local landmarks.

The "Zoo Interchange" is near the Milwaukee County Zoo. The "Marquette Interchange" is right by Marquette University. The "Mitchell Interchange" is right by the General Mitchel International Airport. The "Hale Interchange" is right by the suburb of Hales Corners.

I've heard terms like "Spaghetti Bowl," but we've never nicknamed our freeways that way, even though the term would definitely have applied to the old Marquette Interchange, which was a huge mess of about 20 years worth of differing highway design paradigms. We're in the middle of a 5 year project to rebuild the thing.

rivka · « **Reply #23 on:** October 10, 2007, 09:42:59 AM »

I have a new name for the Four-Level. The Fourth Level of Hell. Had to deal with the darn thing twice last week. The first time was after 10 pm on a Sunday, so it was ok. The next night was at about 7 pm, which means the traffic was pretty heavy. I couldn't get over fast enough, missed both my first-choice transition and the one my GPS suggested as an alternate.

I eventually got headed in the right direction, and promptly got off at the first familiar section of surface streets and took them home.

Jonathon · « **Reply #24 on:** October 10, 2007, 09:43:38 AM »

Rivka! You came back to us!