World's Worst Intersections & Traffic Jams

8/14/2019 World's Worst Intersections & Traffic Jams

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World’s Worst Intersections & Traffic Jams

There is a difference between “going mental” and making

mental calculations how to get out of this traffic mess…at least we hope there is.

The complexity of modern interchanges can be daunting.Here is an exaggerated vision of what the future maylook like:

And this is present day in Japan (does that make yourheart beat faster?)



But here are a few more that definitely ask to be included

into the “Most Complex Junctions” Hall of Fame:

- Shanghai, China(see that little circle on the side: this is a trap foramateur drivers, in which they swirl around forever)



Taganskaya Square, Moscow

(shaped like a huge dumb loaf of bread… and just as

unpalatable)



Tokyo, Japan

(this one’s actually quite elegant)



Nice Chicago arrangements:



You also gotta love this one in Minneapolis:(between 35W and 94)



golden Glades interchange in N. Miami Beach, FL.



Looking like some strands of yarn: Rt. 440 in New

Jersey:



Magic Roundabout

Something to shock you into disbelief, and leave youutterly shattered: getting in and out of the “magicmushroom circle” in England:



There are three intersections like this in UK: in Swindon,

Hemel and in Cardiff. See exactly how itworks here and here.A cheat sheet “how to get out” is more helpful:



China is at the forefront of traffic circles (and spiralbridge approaches), as well:



Some vintage visions of intersections

Little did the urban planners of yesteryear and futuristdesigners imagined how complex our traffic infra-structure would become. The closest perhaps was the

“Futurama” display in the 30s:



Looks actually quite orderly:



There is a highway in my basement

Another solution for the busy intersection: put a “traffic-control” tower smack in the middle (and on top) of it!

This strange concoction comes from “Modern Mechanics” 1932 issue and is called “Safety Tower” - basically amulti-level interchange, with space above it used

for businesses andentertainment (including air trafficcontrol beacons!)



(image credit: Modern Mechanix)Amazingly, same idea came to Russians recently, as they

put a huge “flying saucer” mall on top of majorintersection.



and of course, a humorous solution (that might

just work in Russia, who knows)

Railw ay intersections: “Diamond Crossings”

Quite a few of them can be found in US, but not thatmany in the rest of the world. US railway companies liked



this kind of intersection which does not allow a train

switch to a rival company’s tracks.

Here is a couple: in Poland and Russia:



(original unknown)Traffic Jams from Hell What a better way to greet Monday than to publish acollection of horrendous traffic congestion pictures, which

may cause even most patient driver to shudder and say “Boy, am I glad I’m not in this mess right now”.

First picture is taken from the window of Red Hat’s officesin Sao Paulo, Brazil, followed by various location aroundthe world, with Russia featured quite prominently -



(image credit: Glommer’s Mind)



Bucharest, Romania

Unregulated mess somewhere in Russia:



Here is the classic traffic jam that terrorized MoscowSadovoye Koltzo (ring road) in October 2007:



Continuing well into the night:

(Images credit: Anton Nossik)

This particular congestion is not actually a traffic jam. Ithappened in Italy during the strike, creating bottle-necksfor trucks at the border:(still very hairy situations with long waits involved) -



(original unknown)Jacek Yerka’s unique solution to urban traffic problems,

in surreal light:

World's Worst Intersections & Traffic Jams

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