Trifter

There are many blogs out there that debate the most complicated road junction in the world. Their focus seems to concentrate on ease of use for the motorist rather than other issues such as complexity of construction. Rather than enter that debate as to which is the most complicated road junction in the world I have collected pictures of junctions that look complicated to me.

While viewing these photos I think we all need to question – where are we going with all this road construction. When building freeways traffic engineers avoid all possible conflicts in which a vehicle might cross the path of another.  When junctions are designed the engineers install slip roads to cater for all possible changes of route.  To avoid possible conflicts a junction between an East-West and a North-South highway requires the construction of a four level interchange.  The first four level interchange opened in 1953 in Hollywood, Los Angeles. More elaborate designs try to cut down on the weaving between lanes that is required when using a four level junction. One innovation is to add special purpose lanes to the freeway, catering for instance, for high occupancy vehicles.  This greatly increases the complexity required in the junctions. Junctions that involve special purpose lanes can be stacked to five or six levels of flyovers, and even then, restrict the change of direction allowed from these lanes.

Source Wikipedia: The Bill Keene Memorial Interchange. The first four level interchange in the world.  

The Puxi Viaduct in Shanghai

Viaduct in Puxi, Shanghai It’s a viaduct-complex in en:Puxi, en:Shanghai, PRC. Several stem roads (e.g. Yan’an Road) are also included. Source: WIkipedia

A road junction in Moscow

The Judge Harry Pregerson Interchange in Los Angeles

This interchange was opened in 1993. It is a four level interange with a restricted access lane than can be used by high occupancy vehicles. This picture was taken on descent into LAX. This is a view looking South at the 105/110 Freeway interchange.

The Tom Moreland Interchange, near Atlanta, Georgia.

This junction was constructed between 1983 and 1987.

The Gravelly Hill interchange, Birmingham, England

The Gravelly Hill interchange north of Birmingham is the most complicated junction in Britain. The junction has the nickname “Spaghetti Junction”. There are 18 route on 6 levels, together with a diverted canal and a river. Construction involved 26,000 tonnes of steel, 250,000 tonnes of concrete and 300,000 tonnes of earth. 

Source: Wikicommons

Gravelly Hill Interchange, commonly known as “Spaghetti Junction”, as seen from the Tame Valley Canal, which passes through the middle. Copyright Martin clark and licenced for reuse under a Creative Commons Licence.

This list is just a selection of the many junctions to be found around the world. As prosperity spreads to the newly developing nations, we can expect to see even more complicated designs.