435 Revamp Metcalf - HW 69

[OpenRoad]

I finally have to ask... what the HELL are they doing on this stretch of highway.  I drive this 4 mile stretch (actually Quivera to Metcalf) every day and I know it's getting some major re-work: additional lane each way, interchange at Antioch, flyover from 69 S to 435 E, BUT, why do they need all the land for on the north side of 435 between Antioch and 69?  I've checked http://www.focus435.com/ and the OP City site and KC Scout, and there is kind of a blurry drawing with the land being used... but does anyone actually know?  It seems like they are building another bridge over there that will be a distance from the existing highway, and I can't figure out why there would be a road there.  I know the creek trail will need to jump under the highway somewhere, but there shouldn't need to be a bridge for it since it's already on the east side.  Are they going to do something like what they did out at Roe and Nall where the basically block of the through traffic from the merging mahem?  Any thoughts?

[GRID]

There will be a lot of "braided" lanes along that new stretch of 435.  In other words, you will have lanes that do nothing but take certain traffic to certain exits.  Sort of like Nall/Roe only much more extreme.

For example, if you entering WB 435 from Metcalf, you will not merge with the "mainline" lanes of 435 till nearly 69.  It elimanates the "weave" of people from Metcalf merging while people are moving to the right to exit at 69 or the new Antioch exit.

Anyway, this type of design requires a ton of space.   You will have about 12-14 lanes of traffic between Metcalf and 69.  Eight main line lanes, two auxiliary lanes plus all the collector/distributor lanes (like I described with jersey barriers between them).

[OpenRoad]

Ah, thanks for the clarification.  All of the pdf's on this just get blurry around there.  Can't wait for them to sort all this out.

[KCK]

All of those pretty large McMansions they had to tear down to make way for this project. Then they built that huge ugly fence.

[KCLover]

Id hate to look out my windows and see that huge wall as my new view, but I bet it cuts down on  the traffic noise in that area now.

I have a friend that lives about half a mile from I-35 and I happened to stay at his place one night. Couldn't sleep because of the constant 'woooossh' noise emiting thru his windows from traffic. Furthermore, Id hate to live any closer to a freeway/interstate like those fools along 435. 

[BVC]

There will be a lot of "braided" lanes along that new stretch of 435.  In other words, you will have lanes that do nothing but take certain traffic to certain exits.  Sort of like Nall/Roe only much more extreme.

For example, if you entering WB 435 from Metcalf, you will not merge with the "mainline" lanes of 435 till nearly 69.  It elimanates the "weave" of people from Metcalf merging while people are moving to the right to exit at 69 or the new Antioch exit.

Anyway, this type of design requires a ton of space.   You will have about 12-14 lanes of traffic between Metcalf and 69.  Eight main line lanes, two auxiliary lanes plus all the collector/distributor lanes (like I described with jersey barriers between them).

This type of design is all over the metro Atlanta area.  I think it is a better design on the whole but it does take a ridiculous amount of space to make these design's feasible.  It should help the old farts merging into the "horrible" 435 traffic.

[BigBill33]

Personally I think these "collector" lanes that are spread throughout the metro area are terrible!  We all know what it is like get on WB I-435 from Nall, merge with oncoming traffic from Roe, and then merge with oncoming traffic on 435.  Where is the design there?

I see that the Metcalf on-ramps are getting revamped as well; I take it these will be the standard design that OP has, which in my mind, isn't a very good design, especially with the heavy traffic at Metcalf and I-435!  Does OP, JoCo and even KDOT have competent traffic engineers and planners to adjust with ever changing traffic flows?

Bill

[GRID]

I love them...as long as the stay in the burbs.

Do you have any idea how many times I drive past 20000 parked cars on I-435 via those collector roads?  If you are driving WB on 435 in the evening and want off at Metcalf.  Get off on Nall/Roe, you will pass all kinds of backed up traffic.  After the Metcalf/Antioch/69 area is done, you will able to take collector roads all the way to Quivira (because the 35 interchange creates most of the WB traffic jams anyway).  Same thing EB.

Ever drive north on 35 during the morning rush and use the 635 exit to pass backed up traffic and then get back on 35 north of the interchange?  That works too.

Of course, I use exits and ramps to get around traffic (especially accidents) all the time.

There is a wreck under the Blue Ridge Cuttoff overpass every other day along I-70.  People will sit for an extra half hour and then rubber neck past the wreck.  I get off the freeway and get right back on, almost no delay.

Overall the CD roads work, but they create massive freeways.  Like I said, keep them away from Downtown and I take advantage of them.

[OpenRoad]

I'd just like to say that I'm looking forward to tomorrow.  When we got 3 inches of snow, it took me two hours to get from Metcalf to Quivira at 6pm on 435 due to all the dumbasses and the construction.  What are the bets for tomorrow when we get more?  I'm taking a pack dinner (and my camera). 

[kanasalumn]

I love them...as long as the stay in the burbs.

Do you have any idea how many times I drive past 20000 parked cars on I-435 via those collector roads?  If you are driving WB on 435 in the evening and want off at Metcalf.  Get off on Nall/Roe, you will pass all kinds of backed up traffic.  After the Metcalf/Antioch/69 area is done, you will able to take collector roads all the way to Quivira (because the 35 interchange creates most of the WB traffic jams anyway).  Same thing EB.

Ever drive north on 35 during the morning rush and use the 635 exit to pass backed up traffic and then get back on 35 north of the interchange?  That works too.

Of course, I use exits and ramps to get around traffic (especially accidents) all the time.

There is a wreck under the Blue Ridge Cuttoff overpass every other day along I-70.  People will sit for an extra half hour and then rubber neck past the wreck.  I get off the freeway and get right back on, almost no delay.

Overall the CD roads work, but they create massive freeways.  Like I said, keep them away from Downtown and I take advantage of them.

I think that is illegal to do that.

[OpenRoad]

Anyone else notice that they've barricaded off the northbound HW 69 lanes to I35?  I can only assume that this is the next stage of the construction orgasm that occurs on my morning commute.  Are they actually going to widen this to 3 lanes each way?... PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE.

[GRID]

This is what 435 and 69 will look like in 10 years

[OpenRoad]

Is that the old Dallas interchange that they're now redoing to be the "High-Five" thing?

[KCLover]

I can't believe that they would change one little existing fly over bridge that works just fine into that mess. Why?

[schugg]

This is what 435 and 69 will look like in 10 years

this does look like something in texas, say like houston.

[eliphar17]

I can't believe that they would change one little existing fly over bridge that works just fine into that mess. Why?

Because it's Texas. There's no other reason.

[MidWestSider]

Texas?  I see palm trees in the upper right hand corner.

[GuyInLenexa]

Texas?  I see palm trees in the upper right hand corner.

Houston has palm trees, as well as the southern half of Texas.

[eliphar17]

I thought that was the new High Five interchange in North Dallas on I-635, but I'm wrong. I don't know where it is. GRID, can you give us a clue?

[MidWestSider]

I thought that was the new High Five interchange in North Dallas on I-635, but I'm wrong. I don't know where it is. GRID, can you give us a clue?

South Central California

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&q ... 4&t=k&om=1