Diverging diamond intersection.

[Cybercowboy]

They just finished the one here in Joplin, about a mile from my house. Oh what a PITA it was while it was under construction. The first time I went through it as a diverging diamond was a bit disconcerting. The one in the video is in Springfield MO, about an hour away. In the one they built here at I-44 and Rangeline, I-44 goes over the top instead of HW65 on the bottom in the video. Otherwise it is essentially the same deal.

Prior to this, the old intersection was your basic clover leaf and I had seen all sorts of bad accidents around it over the years.

What Does A Diverging Diamond Interchange Look Like? - YouTube

[C5SilverBullet]

We have crazy shit like that all over Houston. Houston has the oddest layout for intersections, over passes, and ramps I've ever seen.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/887225_10100610273808495_1187231015_o.jpg

[Doug28450]

My mom and dad live in Hollister, MO. They built one of those in Branson at the US65/HWY248 intersection.

I agree that the first few times it is a bit confusing and disconcerting to go through.

[Cybercowboy]

My mom and dad live in Hollister, MO. They built one of those in Branson at the US65/HWY248 intersection.

I agree that the first few times it is a bit confusing and disconcerting to go through.

Oh, and a couple of days ago they mounted cameras on the traffic lights. Not sure but they are probably red-light cameras. Not sure if they are actively giving tickets out or just monitoring the traffic. At any rate, I make damn sure to pay attention to the lights when I go through it. There are no other traffic cameras in town that I know of.

[Cybercowboy]

We have crazy shit like that all over Houston. Houston has the oddest layout for intersections, over passes, and ramps I've ever seen.

Oh, I know. I've driven around Houston a number of times. Same with Dallas and the Austin area. That's a whole 'nother level of traffic.

And then there's SoCal... :lol:

[Y2Kvert4me]

Interesting.

Left turns at offramp intersections are typically what backs things up. This appears to be a lot more efficient.

[Doug28450]

Oh, and a couple of days ago they mounted cameras on the traffic lights. Not sure but they are probably red-light cameras. Not sure if they are actively giving tickets out or just monitoring the traffic. At any rate, I make damn sure to pay attention to the lights when I go through it. There are no other traffic cameras in town that I know of.

I'm not sure if the lights in Branson have the cameras. Next time I am there I'll take a look. I'm betting they do.

It may not be a matter of trying to catch red light scofflaws. It may be that they want to be able to determine who was at fault for driving in the wrong direction.

[NeedSpeed]

Cool. To watch it is confusing, but looking at the diagram it makes sense.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Diverging_diamond_redone.svg/640px-Diverging_diamond_redone.svg.png

[Ol Timer]

Not only do they move things along, they (almost) eliminate the t-bone possibility, as you no longer turn left in front of on-coming traffic which is supposed to stop.

The ones here in Springfield caused a lot of confusion and a few minor bang-ups initially, but seem to work as designed. They are counter-intuitive, however for first-timers.

[Craig]

They're working on one, now, that is part of my commute; I'm skeptical because on the ramp that I turn onto, there's one of those metering traffic lights. I kind of feel like, any organization that thinks putting a traffic light at the end of a freeway entrance ramp is a good idea, is too stupid to ever have a good one. But, we'll see.

[Doug28450]

They're working on one, now, that is part of my commute; I'm skeptical because on the ramp that I turn onto, there's one of those metering traffic lights. I kind of feel like, any organization that thinks putting a traffic light at the end of a freeway entrance ramp is a good idea, is too stupid to ever have a good one. But, we'll see.

Just about every ramp in the Chicago area has a metering light. They are mostly ignored.

[Craig]

Just about every ramp in the Chicago area has a metering light. They are mostly ignored.

I follow the car in front of me, right through it every time, on rare occasions I get honked at. I wish everyone would ignore them.

[Cybercowboy]

They're working on one, now, that is part of my commute; I'm skeptical because on the ramp that I turn onto, there's one of those metering traffic lights. I kind of feel like, any organization that thinks putting a traffic light at the end of a freeway entrance ramp is a good idea, is too stupid to ever have a good one. But, we'll see.

While they are building it, it's pretty much the same as it was but with a couple of annoying traffic lights. Then, for a few days, they will completely shut it down and when it opens back up, the lights are different, there are at least twice as many, there's a big-ass concrete structure in the middle, and it's totally different. So far I have seen one person actually go the wrong way (what used to be the right way) but you pretty much have to be a complete moron to do that. He stopped about halfway through, not sure what he ended up doing after that. :slap:

[GentleBen]

We have crazy shit like that all over Houston. Houston has the oddest layout for intersections, over passes, and ramps I've ever seen.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/887225_10100610273808495_1187231015_o.jpg

I'll swap you your "crazy shit" for the Washington Mixing Bowl any day of the week! Trying to navigate this intersection is enough to drive you to drink. . . while driving!

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u151/GentleBen_album/springfield-interchange2_zps163ac91a.png

[Craig]

We have a similar intersection here that is universally referred to as "Spaghetti Junction".

[Doug28450]

While they are building it, it's pretty much the same as it was but with a couple of annoying traffic lights. Then, for a few days, they will completely shut it down and when it opens back up, the lights are different, there are at least twice as many, there's a big-ass concrete structure in the middle, and it's totally different. So far I have seen one person actually go the wrong way (what used to be the right way) but you pretty much have to be a complete moron to do that. He stopped about halfway through, not sure what he ended up doing after that. :slap:

His head probably exploded.

Traffic circles, roundabouts or whatever you want to call them are gaining popularity. These are additional opportunities to watch heads explode.

[jimkmyc5]

I just went through one in Farmington, MO yesterday. :dance:

[Dr. Jacoby]

. The one in the video is in Springfield MO, about an hour away.


That springfield one at 13 and 44 needed it. That intersection sucked coming from the north. Now they need to work on their lights. It takes forever to get through that damn town, ridiculous.

[Dave]

Why would you not just put a proper roundabout on each side of the freeway and not make through surface street traffic stop?

[Joecooool]

Oh, I know. I've driven around Houston a number of times. Same with Dallas and the Austin area. That's a whole 'nother level of traffic.

And then there's SoCal... :lol:

That's nothing. Go drive in Rome.

[CP]

His head probably exploded.

Traffic circles, roundabouts or whatever you want to call them are gaining popularity. These are additional opportunities to watch heads explode.

All I know is that South Jersey eliminated their traffic circles in favor of overpasses. The circles were unable to handle the volume of traffic. They may have been great 50 years ago but now, not so much.

[Cybercowboy]

That's nothing. Go drive in Rome.

I have.





(in a taxi....)

However, Boston is pretty bad-ass. :rofl:

[78SA]

Imagine traveling at night and seeing one of those for the first time. :lol:

[DAB]

Double round about intersection.

http://i937.photobucket.com/albums/ad214/brinkmancorvette/null_zps9f8107dd.png

[Dave]

I will see your double roundabout and raise you a roundabout
http://www.mtjengineering.com/assets/thumb?img=uploads/assets/d0c72acece187f2d32c18ff2e9d0d4f4b8e1f6ac.jpg

This f'd up POS is not too far from my house. Yes, it's as idiotic as you might expect. I think the official line is, "Yes, there are more accidents, but they're less severe than they used to be when it was a NORMAL friggin intersection"

[DAB]

Double round about intersection.

http://i937.photobucket.com/albums/ad214/brinkmancorvette/null_zps9f8107dd.png

Once in a while I have to go north on the main road and then head south on the frontage road. Lots of left turns. :willy:

[Y2Kvert4me]

We've got a lot of roundabouts around here. The biggest trouble with them is they don't accommodate semi-trucks very well, it's impossible for them not to consume both lanes because the radius is too small.

Other than that, they work well.