Interesting Junction Layouts/Phases

[Skipsy]

Making a thread to post interesting layouts, I'll start:
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.83860 ... 312!8i6656
The road isn't wide enough to have 3 seperate lanes going across the junction and pedestrian islands so they decided to make right turns go first and then straight ahead traffic, both using the same available space.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.47436 ... 312!8i6656
Interesting curved waiting boxes for turning right.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.39951 ... 384!8i8192
Turning left here should always be permitted however, there is about 2 seconds when the lights go red until the left filter comes on again.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.49070 ... 312!8i6656
They made it absolutely clear that they don't want you to turn right here, because if you thought of doing a u-turn after crossing the junction, they made it damn clear that you can't several times with no u-turn signs repeated along Gliddon Road.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.36478 ... OcA!2e0!6s
Seriously, just look at this mess...

[KeithW]

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.36478 ... OcA!2e0!6s
Seriously, just look at this mess...

Well if you will go sarth of the river mate anyfink can happen

[Bryn666]

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.36478 ... OcA!2e0!6s
Seriously, just look at this mess...

Well if you will go sarth of the river mate anyfink can happen

There is a plan to do something with that of course.

[Fenlander]

Left turn from the left lane, or exit from the roundabout whichever you prefer to call it here has its own left turn filter green but it only lights when the main signal is red so it's blank when main is green, blank when main is amber and lit when main is red, this means that the only time you have to stop is when the main signal is showing amber, despite there being no conflicting traffic and no controlled pedestrian crossing linked.

[Richardf]

These 3 in Weymouth, built to replace roundabouts, might be of interest

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.61271 ... a=!3m1!1e3

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.61494 ... a=!3m1!1e3

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.60705 ... a=!3m1!1e3

[A303Chris]

These 3 in Weymouth, built to replace roundabouts, might be of interest

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.61271 ... a=!3m1!1e3

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.61494 ... a=!3m1!1e3

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.60705 ... a=!3m1!1e3

What a mess!

What's with the give way flares and what was wrong with the roundabouts ?

[danfw194]

The infamous Gipsy Lane junction in Leicester. I'm sure there are plenty messier junctions knocking about, but this junction struck fear into the lives of learner drivers for many a year - there used to be a Driving Test Centre about 50m up the road. Not sure when it closed/moved. I passed my test there back in 2009.

[Richardf]

These 3 in Weymouth, built to replace roundabouts, might be of interest

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.61271 ... a=!3m1!1e3

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.61494 ... a=!3m1!1e3

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.60705 ... a=!3m1!1e3

What a mess!

What's with the give way flares and what was wrong with the roundabouts ?

Nothing. They decided traffic would flow better with these awful things than with roundabouts which always seemed to work fine. I don't live in Weymouth but go there occasionally and dislike using them

This change occurred ahead of the Olympics in 2012 BTW.

[Al__S]

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.36478 ... OcA!2e0!6s
Seriously, just look at this mess...

Other than a roundabout or a spaghetti mess of grade separation it is more or less impossible for any five way junction to function well. With traffic lights, the timings can never be good. They'll be especially bad for pedestrians- that current layout for the one in Croydon has anywhere from 2 to 4 separate signalled crossings if you want to cross just a single arm of the junction.

And generally, some attempt to actually cater for pedestrians but doing so badly is what causes a lot of these monstrosities.

[darkcape]

The infamous Gipsy Lane junction in Leicester. I'm sure there are plenty messier junctions knocking about, but this junction struck fear into the lives of learner drivers for many a year - there used to be a Driving Test Centre about 50m up the road. Not sure when it closed/moved. I passed my test there back in 2009.

That reminds me of this nightmare in Leicester at the A50 Groby Rd/Blackbird Rd Junction

Heading westbound on Blackbird Rd lanes 1 and 2 turn right-then-left at the staggered crossroads to go "straight on" towards Westcotes, and you "turn right" onto the A50 outbound by waiting at the light in lane 3 (which I've seen plenty of people miss). However heading north/outbound on the A50 lane 1 and 2 are both straight on and you ignore lane 3, the signal just shows a green aspect almost as a secondary head.

[Peter Freeman]

These 3 in Weymouth, built to replace roundabouts, might be of interest

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.61271 ... a=!3m1!1e3

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.61494 ... a=!3m1!1e3

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.60705 ... a=!3m1!1e3

What a mess!

What's with the give way flares and what was wrong with the roundabouts ?

This thread has brought up some "interesting layouts", as per its title. Some do look quite complex/confusing, and tortuous to navigate, but most are in such intractable locations that I can't think of much better (subject to any realistic costings).

"These 3 in Weymouth" don't strike me as "a mess". I assume that the predecessor roundabouts had ceased to handle their traffic volumes, and that these replacements are performing adequately. In each case I can see minor points that I would have designed differently, the third one more so, but I suspect that your objection to them is along different lines.

[Chris Bertram]

These 3 in Weymouth, built to replace roundabouts, might be of interest

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.61271 ... a=!3m1!1e3

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.61494 ... a=!3m1!1e3

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.60705 ... a=!3m1!1e3

Looking at the second of these, the Weymouth Tramway crosses one arm not far from the junction. I'm aware that the Tramway has been out of use for some time, but the tracks appear to have been lifted either side of the crossing. Has it now been officially closed permanently?

[Bryn666]

It just looks very overgrown on Street View.

[Alderpoint]

Never sure whether to considered this as a single junction with a supermarket in the middle or three/four/five separate junctions. I go round it (them) using various route depending on the traffic.
https://goo.gl/maps/kmVPQA1u5KkdFfJu8

It's certainly no longer the simple roundabout that it used to be in the days of J21A.

[Chris Bertram]

It just looks very overgrown on Street View.

Hmm, maybe. So overgrown that the tracks are no longer visible, I guess. If anyone is able to do a site visit, please let us know.

[RichardA35]

It just looks very overgrown on Street View.

Hmm, maybe. So overgrown that the tracks are no longer visible, I guess. If anyone is able to do a site visit, please let us know.

No tracks lifted that I have seen - all still in-situ out of use

[vlad]

This junction in Plymouth confuses me a bit. For example, heading from top right to bottom left you have to fork right then fork left.

[Richardf]

These 3 in Weymouth, built to replace roundabouts, might be of interest

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.61271 ... a=!3m1!1e3

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.61494 ... a=!3m1!1e3

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.60705 ... a=!3m1!1e3

What a mess!

What's with the give way flares and what was wrong with the roundabouts ?

This thread has brought up some "interesting layouts", as per its title. Some do look quite complex/confusing, and tortuous to navigate, but most are in such intractable locations that I can't think of much better (subject to any realistic costings).

"These 3 in Weymouth" don't strike me as "a mess". I assume that the predecessor roundabouts had ceased to handle their traffic volumes, and that these replacements are performing adequately. In each case I can see minor points that I would have designed differently, the third one more so, but I suspect that your objection to them is along different lines.

Yes. Many local drivers see these junctions as unnecessary, the changes wasteful, and would rather have the roundabouts back. The original roundabout junctions could have been improved in other ways for less money.

[Johnathan404]

Yes. Many local drivers see these junctions as unnecessary, the changes wasteful, and would rather have the roundabouts back. The original roundabout junctions could have been improved in other ways for less money.

You will struggle to find a road improvement made in the last 40 years that local drivers will approve of. That's the way people are. It's not a very good measure of anything.

Given that pretty much the only way you can improve a roundabout is by adding more traffic lights, and people will complain about that, I'd suggest what was built is the lesser of two evils, especially in terms of safety and NMU accessibility.

[Peter Freeman]

These 3 in Weymouth, built to replace roundabouts, might be of interest

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.61271 ... a=!3m1!1e3

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.61494 ... a=!3m1!1e3

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@50.60705 ... a=!3m1!1e3

These intersections are not 'interesting' in the sense of being rather strange or unusual: they represent the world-standard way, and in my opinion usually the best way, of allowing two fairly major roads to cross each other at-grade.