Then I moved to California and the distinct differences were immediately evident.1) the speeds at which people drove were initially terrifying; and 2) you were often taken down a neighboring side street, where you took a turn and were suddenly on the freeway where everyone was going 100mph. Sometimes you would have 30 yards before you were on The freeway.
Then I moved to AZ, where the freeway intersection designs were even more unique. Many times, you have to turn left at a light to get on the ramp…but you have to go through TWO lights before you turn left, and the first light literally invites you to turn left into the exiting ramp! They have since installed huge “wrong way” signs and flashing lights, but if you’re not from around here, are distracted, confused, drunk, etc….you could easily do it. I’ve almost done it myself when at the light with no other cars around. So when I came upon this older man in his Cadillac who was cruising the wrong way down the on ramp, I had no doubt that he had mistakenly turned at the first light instead of the second, came up onto the freeway using the off ramp (apparently not encountering any traffic), which put him immediately into the merge lane, where he proceeded straight down onto the on ramp of the next freeway intersection. and all the freeway engineers, police and media scratch their heads and can’t figure out how it’s happening.
that’s very descriptive and detailed. thanx
I know Wisconsin went big on round abouts instead of 4 way stops of stop lights on some of their county roads.
Illinois is starting to fall in love with Diverging Diamond Interchanges - eliminates left turns. Maybe the same as your switch backs ?
Texas has what amounts to a left turn\uturn to get to at a highway on-ramp