Diverging Diamond Interchange at Front Street & I-435

[GRID]

Looks interesting, should open about the same time the area gets its first SPUI interchanges.  435 and 87th is replacing ramp signals with roundabouts.  All this change is going to really confuse KC's drivers, which I consider, the worst "big-city" drivers in the country...

If people can figure this out, it could be a very good design for this interchange and all the trucks that pass through there.

[aknowledgeableperson]

Looks like a disaster in the making.  Hate to see the reaction of the little old ladies as they attempt to navigate.

[shaffe]

there's a thread hovering around somewhere about something like this, i'm not sure if it made it across from the old forum though(edit 2:  obviousely it did).  to me it doesn't do that much, but i'll hold off until i see it for myself.

edit:  is this smilar to the interchnage in this thread?
http://www.kcskyscrapers.com/newforum/i ... pic=5322.0

[GRID]

there's a thread hovering around somewhere about this very project, i'm not sure if it made it across from the old forum though.  to me it looks like a bad idea, but i guess i'll hold judgement until i see it.

I think it's been mentioned on the forums that Front Street is getting a new interchange, but no details about it have been discussed.  There have been some extensive threads on SPUIs though, such as the new ones at 87th and I-35 and I-70 and Noland.  Come to think of it, the one at 635 and Parallel, should be open, anybody driven that yet?

[GRID]

edit:  is this smilar to the interchnage in this thread?
http://www.kcskyscrapers.com/newforum/i ... pic=5322.0

No, that is a SPUI (single point urban interchange).

[scooterj]

It looks brilliant to me...  the traffic capacity of a cloverleaf (or at least close) but in the compact, space-saving diamond format.    If they make the median divider high enough that you can't see over it it shouldn't be too confusing.  Idiots trying to make turns at the traffic lights is probably the greatest risk.

[KCMax]

Looks interesting to me, but I can already hear Kansas Citians bitching about it.

[shinatoo]

Not much "Little old lady" or "general suburban" traffic in that area. Thats a big time industrial area with mainly trucks and factory workers.

How do you bike through that?!?!

[bbqboy]

Not much "Little old lady" or "general suburban" traffic in that area. Thats a big time industrial area with mainly trucks and factory workers.

How do you bike through that?!?!

very carefully.

[dangerboy]

Can SPUIs only go on overpasses?  Seems like they wouldn't work for an underpass like this, with the colums and such...

[LenexatoKCMO]

Looks like a disaster in the making.  Hate to see the reaction of the little old ladies as they attempt to navigate.

The article in the paper indicated that the way they do the medians and intersections make it idiot proof. 

[LS_Tiger]

That is not a single point urban interchange (SPUI) - that is what they should have done.

A SPUI on has one light at the center of the bridge, this has two as well as people driving on the left and right sides of the road, what a distaster.

Here are good SPUI references: 

http://www.kurumi.com/roads/interchanges/spui.html

http://www.improvei70.org/4a2_safety_main.jsp

http://www.thenewi64.org/1c4_spui.jsp

[shinatoo]

This is much much cheaper and smaller than a SPUI. thats why they are doing it.

[moderne]

      I will avoid that spot at all costs.  I do not desire a head on with a confused megaton truck.

[KCN]

The only advantage I can see over the typical diamond interchange is that ramp traffic only has to stop at a maximum of 1 light rather than 2.  Is that really worth it??  They are doing that to move cars faster, but there is no traffic there.  Think about pouring rain or thick fog in the middle of the night, that would confuse the hell out of me if I had never seen it before.  Not to mention drunks.  Big thumbs down.

[LenexatoKCMO]

Think about pouring rain or thick fog in the middle of the night, that would confuse the hell out of me if I had never seen it before.  Not to mention drunks.  Big thumbs down.

They lay out the interchanges so that it is darn near impossible for you to turn the wrong way. 

You are going way out of your way if you are partying in that neighborhood; I don't think too many of the tractor trailer dealers host happy hours. 

[dangerboy]

^ FedEx hosts a pretty sweet party for the Second Saturday warehouse openings... 

[scooterj]

The only advantage I can see over the typical diamond interchange is that ramp traffic only has to stop at a maximum of 1 light rather than 2.  Is that really worth it??  They are doing that to move cars faster, but there is no traffic there.  Think about pouring rain or thick fog in the middle of the night, that would confuse the hell out of me if I had never seen it before.  Not to mention drunks.  Big thumbs down.

There may not be much traffic there, but there's a lot of truck traffic there.  It seems to be designed to keep truck traffic moving through more smoothly so that it doesn't back up onto the freeway.

[mailman641]

The front page of the Star today had a story about a new type of interchange being put in place at I-435 and Front St.  It involves making traffic drive on the left side of the road under the 435 overpass and will be the first of its kind in the US.

http://www.kansascity.com/multimedia/ka ... MONDAY.pdf

[KCLover]

repost, already been talked about.