Traffic jams are the bane of any modern metropolis. In order to save city residents time and distribute traffic flows, design engineers sometimes resort to amazing solutions, which we will talk about in our material.
One of the world's most intricate road structures, combining passenger transport routes, the Harbor Transit Road and the Los Angeles Metro Green Line, opened in 1993. This tricky tangle of roads, located at the intersection of I-105, which leads from El Segundo to Norwalk, and I-110, which goes from San Pedro to Los Angeles, bears the name of federal judge Harry Pregerson for a reason. Like the famous lawman who managed to navigate the jungle of the legal dispute over the construction of I-105, the highway interchange masterfully resolves endless traffic flows. In just one day, this labyrinth, which allows you to turn in any direction on all sections of the route, crosses more than 500 thousand cars. There is only one problem - if you miss that one right turn, and the miracle of engineering will turn into an endless Mobius strip for you.
Photo: grandstroy.blogspot.com
State support for cyclists, deployed in Holland, has led to amazing results: in recent years, the majority of the country's population prefers to use environmentally friendly and economical two-wheeled transport at home. For the convenience of those who chose to give up cars, special infrastructure began to be created - for example, the unique road junction The Honvering in Eindhoven. Suspended over a busy transport hub, this circular steel bridge allows traffic to be bypassed. The amazing structure is supported on a central 70-meter pillar using metal cables, and for reliability it is also reinforced with concrete columns. The creators of The Hovering claim that the future lies with such technologies, eliminating traffic accidents and decorating landscapes with unusual futuristic designs.
Photo: engineering-ru.livejournal.com
The construction of a tangled, thread-like road junction in Birmingham took four years. Many technological problems and engineering snags stood in the way of the designers, who were forced to combine two railway lines and 18 road routes into one network, from the A38 state road leading from Cornwall to Northampshire to narrow country roads without a name, and link it all across three canals and two rivers. To ensure better throughput and good stability, the builders were forced to re-lay almost 22 kilometers of road surface and install 59 columns, placing the highway at five levels of different heights. With the light hand of a local newspaper reporter, the result of hard work, which appeared to the world in May 1972, received the playful nickname “Spaghetti Denouement.” This frightening design is painfully reminiscent of “a mixture of a plate of pasta and an unsuccessful attempt to tie a Staffordshire knot.”
Photo: unb-facts.blogspot.com
Even those who know the “rules of the game” and have been moving along the Tagansky streets and alleys for a long time often get lost on the Garden Ring. What can we say about those who first found themselves at the intersection of the busiest roads in Moscow, located in the heart of the Central District of the capital. Where the Bolshoi Krasnokholmsky Bridge connects with Zemlyanoy Val Street, chaos always reigns. Several highways leading from Nizhnyaya and Verkhnyaya Radishchevsky, Goncharnaya, Marxistskaya, Vorontsovskaya, Taganskaya, Narodnaya streets and numbering six or more lanes are teeming with endless rows of cars. The incessant noise of passing traffic is cut through by sharp signals, and traffic jams during rush hours have no end in sight. The colorful picture of one of the worst road junctions in the world is completed by two Moscow metro stations, a bus stop and the almost complete absence of signs.
Photo: raskalov-vit.livejournal.com
The brilliant French city planners who gave Paris the Square of the Star probably did not have the gift of foresight. Over the past centuries, the “patch” near the famous Arc de Triomphe, lively even by the standards of the 19th century, has turned into a real hell for motorists. Despite the fact that from the central city parade ground, like the rays of a star, 12 straight and wide avenues diverge in different directions, and several metro lines, RER, bus routes and highways converge, there are no traffic lights or priority signs. It’s no wonder that even Parisian taxi drivers, who drive around the area a hundred times a day, sigh sadly when they receive an order for Charles de Gaulle Square. Neither intuition, nor good knowledge of the rules of the road, nor many years of driving experience can save you from the horror that happens here during rush hour: at the interchange, which is ranked as the most difficult route in the world, several accidents happen per hour.
Detailed descriptions and photographs of crazy intersections. 10 road junctions that frighten and beckon at the same time. It’s interesting: the rating also includes a copy from Russia!
10. London Circle, Canberra, Australia
These are road rings around the Australian Parliament building complex. The inconvenience here is that getting to the center is a non-trivial task. You chose the wrong lane - and it will take a lot of time and gasoline to correct this mistake. According to the “tradition” of such places, road signs here only confuse drivers.
9. Gravelly Hill Interchange, Birmingham, UK
Like the Atlanta interchange, this one is also nicknamed "spaghetti" by Birmingham residents. According to eyewitnesses, after many years of living in this city, many people still get confused in this noodle of overpasses, and signs and indicators seem to only add confusion to the movement along this interchange.
8. Interchange between Highways 9 and 6, Tokyo, Japan
In this denouement, the devil himself will break his leg, and here all the signs are made exclusively in Japanese. The design of the interchange itself also adds problems: for greater seismic stability, sections of the overpasses are connected by large “joints” made of dense rubber. If a car enters such a rubbery area, it begins to bounce and jerk in a very unusual way, which does not help you at all in finding the right road.
7. Denouement Tom Moreland, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Locals simply call this huge interchange “spaghetti.” It was built two years after the Birmingham Interchange (second to last on our list). Each entrance very soon splits into two roads, so you have to think very quickly here. One wrong turn and you will have to cut for several miles to finally turn around and get on the right road.
6. Julio Avenida 9, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Argentina gave the world racing legend Juan Manuel Fangio, as well as millions of his ardent fans and followers who filled the country's roads. The national thirst for speed and risk is best seen on this street, the widest in the world. You need nerves of steel to decide to cross all of its fourteen lanes filled with cars of hot Argentine guys.
5. Place Charles de Gaulle (Place des Stars), Paris, France
The picture shown, taken early in the morning, is deceptive: during the day, and especially during rush hours, it is pure hell going on here. There are no signs defining road priorities, and there are no traffic lights either, so everyone crosses the square as they please. Minor accidents happen here at least every hour.
4. Taganskaya Square, Moscow, Russia
For a first-time visitor, car traffic in this place seems like complete chaos. Several roads of six or more lanes each converge here, every centimeter of the area is filled with cars, there are no signs, and it seems that no one is paying attention to the traffic lights.
3. The Magic Roundabout, Swindon, Wilts, UK
This ending is called magical, but the magic here is somehow evil. The merging of six roads forms a tight interweaving of traffic rings around the islands. Around the small islands the movement goes clockwise, and around the large central one - vice versa.
2. A9 Junction, Shanghai, China
In China, it is not easy for a foreigner to drive a car by himself; it is easier to take a taxi. However, this is still no guarantee against stress: Chinese taxi drivers are real daredevils. Eyewitnesses say that sometimes they are even ready to drive sideways onto dividing concrete blocks in order to avoid a traffic jam or the scene of an accident.
1. Interchange of I-710 and I-105, Los Angeles, California, USA
The denouements in London, Rome and Paris are mere children compared to this monster in Los Angeles. Make the wrong lane, and in five minutes you will find yourself God knows where. Above each entrance there are a lot of signs and designations that are extremely difficult to understand.
If you often travel abroad by car, then information about the most difficult road junctions in the world will be useful. Especially if this year you are planning to visit England, France, Gibraltar, and Asian countries by renting a car. So, let's get down to business right away and tell you where it is important to be a truly attentive and prepared driver.
1. Swindon in England is famous for its unusual and extremely complex ending, The Magic Carousel. If one of the tourists came here, he definitely remembered his trip. The “Magic Roundabout” is considered the most complex and confusing interchange in the world, which was built back in 1972. The interchange has 16 stop lines and not a single traffic light, only markings.
2. The Paris interchange in the popular Arc de Triomphe area is one of the busiest and most complex. Accidents here no longer surprise anyone. By the way, some insurance companies do not even compensate the client for damage if the accident happened on the circle near the Arc de Triomphe. This nuance is prescribed as a clause in the contract. The interchange is really not easy (since 12 streets intersect), in addition, there are no necessary markings, which further complicates the driver’s task.
3. Gibraltar Airport also has an interesting and complex junction that intersects with the runway. That is, congestion due to landing or takeoff of an airplane is commonplace here. Of course, traffic in this area is regulated using barriers and traffic lights. It cannot be said that such proximity of the roadway to the airport poses any problem. After all, there are not many flights, about 30 per week. This decision was caused by the fact that Gibraltar, as we know, does not occupy a very large territory.
4. In Vietnam, the driver of a car or even a moped is not to be envied. Europeans are not used to this kind of traffic. After all, on local roads the main rule is the absence of rules. And even at a regulated intersection in Ho Chi Minh City, be extremely careful, since the actions of other drivers are very difficult to predict.
Of course, when going on a trip, you need to think about the issue of communication. Since buying a local starter package is not always convenient, in addition, tariffs can be high. It’s much easier to buy a SIM card for your trip in advance. Therefore, we decided to break this issue, and then continue our story about complex road junctions. We offer several interesting options for you:
For European countries, we recommend using the tariffs of the Orange operator, which has recently launched a new Mundo offer, in all European countries - 41 countries. In addition, the Spanish tariff is now more favorable. Validity period – 30 days, Internet cost:
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5. Driving in Beijing is also not so easy, because at one of the sections (after passing the checkpoint where tolls are paid on the road) the road begins to narrow (from 50 lanes there are only 4 left). In this case, one of the remaining strips is often repaired. As a result, in reality there are only 3 left.
6. Billions were invested in the construction of the Xinzhuang interchange in Shanghai, in addition, they worked on this project for 5 years. As a result, this interchange connects three major highways A4, A8 and A20 with the suburbs of Shanghai. Despite the large capacity, due to the constant increase in the number of cars, the highway is busy almost all the time; there is traffic even at night. And this complicates repair work.
We hope that your trip around Europe by car will be successful, interesting and memorable in the good sense of the word.
We also recommend that you read other useful materials on the topic of traveling around Europe and the world in your own car at the link
There are intersections in the world that not every driver is ready to drive through, and if someone dares to conquer these roads, then they cannot do without “drops on their foreheads.” One can only guess who came up with the idea to build such unusual road junctions.
Each country has its own traffic rules. Before driving on the roads of a new state, you need to find out the peculiarities of movement and look at the road map. Such rules must be observed in large cities. There are a considerable number of places in the world with complex intersections, which include large nodes and unusual intersections. Here is a list of the most famous difficult areas.
"Magic Carousel"
This unusual roundabout was built in Swindon England back in 1972. The site has become one of the most confusing in the whole world. This large ring includes five small ones, which have special markings. The road junction has 16 stop lines and no traffic lights at all.
The mini-rings have a special interchange. As a result, all these features make traversing the road a challenging task. Movement along the rings is clockwise. Local residents overcome this difficult section of the road without difficulty, but city visitors do not always understand how to drive.
Judge Harry Pregerson Denouement
Many cars are familiar with the situation when they are driving according to the navigator and suddenly the required turn is missed. You have to remember that at the Judge Harry Pregerson roundabout in Los Angeles, if you miss the right turn, you will have to spend half a day. This unusual four-level building appeared in 1993.
They are built at the intersection of major highways. Even a meter line passes through the interchange. The denouement is the most difficult in the world. It was intended that drivers should drive without stopping. In addition, you should not give way to other road users. This ending is also shown in the film “Speed”.
Roundabout around the Arc de Triomphe
It is located in the center of Paris. It is in this area that accidents most often occur. There are many cases in history where insurance companies in Paris refuse to compensate for damages after an accident that occurs on this roundabout. This is even stated in contracts concluded with clients. The roundabout intersects 12 streets, including the Champs-Élysées. There are no markings on the roads. Conventionally, the area can be divided into 9 lanes, so drivers have to decide for themselves how to drive.
Meskel Square
This place is located in Ethiopia. Many drivers are surprised how they can overcome such a difficult road. Although this driving style is typical for Asian countries. This is how they drive in Vietnam, Turkey, and Afghanistan. The Ethiopian Crossroads is massive. There are eight lanes and they are all in the same direction.
A runway that intersects a roadway
It is located at Gibraltar Airport. Of course, it’s hard to imagine how ordinary drivers are stuck in traffic jams because a plane has landed. There is probably nowhere where the runway intersects with the roadway, but there is such a place in Gibraltar.
The movement of pedestrians and cars is stopped when the plane takes off and lands. The airport itself receives no more than three dozen flights per week. This unusual combination of roads is due to the fact that Gibraltar occupies a small area: the peninsula is only 6.5 square meters. km.
Central signalized intersection in Ho Chi Minh City
Driving on this Vietnamese road is difficult. Here, even when the light is green, people continue to drive and turn left. However, moving to the right is a little easier. The road situation is difficult, so you have to be extremely careful. It is not surprising that the Vietnamese prefer mopeds.
Kennedy Interchange to Louisville
In 1964, a complex interchange was built that could connect three highways. The resulting road was named after John Kennedy. This transport hub is called "spaghetti intersection" by local residents. If you look at the road from a bird's eye view, you can see what it is like.
Only a few years later it became clear that the creation of a transport hub was a mistake. It is located in the center and causes great damage to the environment. The node was designed for a flow of 100,000 cars per day. Now more than 300,000 cars pass through here, and the exit system is too confusing. It is not surprising that a large number of accidents occur. Now the US authorities have allocated $1.1 billion to reconstruct the site. Work is planned to begin this year.
South Bay Interchange
The overpass became part of the Great Boston Tunnel, which includes an 8-lane highway. This interchange is the most expensive project in the USA. Design began in 1990 and was completed by 2003. Construction is carried out competently and consistently. As a result, the interchange connects 4 major directions and a railway line. If you miss your turn, you can get confused.
Xin Zhuang Interchange
In China, the number of cars on the roads is constantly increasing, which as a result are becoming too congested. We had to create a transport interchange that helps connect the three routes. Several billion dollars and approximately five years were spent on its construction. This overpass made it possible to relieve congestion on the roads of Shanghai.
Narrowing of the road from 50 lanes to 3
When the driver passes the checkpoint, the number of lanes begins to decrease from 50 to 4. So car owners have to somehow get around. It is not surprising that new records for traffic jams are constantly being set in this area.
On the most difficult roads in the world, it is quite difficult for a beginner to cope with movement. Moreover, not every person was able to cope with such transport interchanges.
1.Gravelly Hill Interchange A bit like spaghetti. This is the nickname given to this road system back in 1965 in an article describing the plan to build the Gravelly Hill Interchange. The term stuck, and now all major junctions are often called a “ball of spaghetti”. Gravelly Hill Interchange has been in existence since 1972 and is located in Birmingham, England.
2. Puxi Viaduct. This transport interchange is one of the largest in the world. It consists of six levels and handles thousands of cars per hour. An engineering marvel can be seen in Puxi, the historical center of Shanghai.
3. Tom Moreland Interchange. The amazingly symmetrical structure was created in 1987. Locals, like the British, call their transport interchange spaghetti. This road system is located in the state of Georgia, USA.
4. Judge Harry Pregerson Interchange. The interchange is located in California and more than 600,000 vehicles pass through the system every day. In 1996, the highway was awarded the title "Engineering Magic". Indeed, magic.
5. Kennedy Interchange. The interchange was built in 1964 and was named after the JFK memorial located nearby. Kennedy Interchange is located in Louisville, Kentucky.
6. Oyamazaki Interchange. This junction is famous for the fact that it completely disorients the driver: before driving in the right direction, you have to “cut circles” for a very long time. But, you must admit, it looks impressive. This amazing structure is located in Osaka, Japan.
7. But Oyamazaki Interchange is not the only engineering marvel in Osaka. Impressive and Gate Tower Building is the only road in the world that runs directly through the building. They say that the overpass does not disturb its inhabitants at all, and the owners of Oyamazaki Interchange even pay rent.
8. Nanpu Bridge is a roundabout that flows into a grand bridge over the Huangpu River. The total length of Nanpu Bridge is 8,346 meters. This structure was built in 1991 and is located in Shanghai.
