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Spaghetti junction

Intertwined road traffic interchange

Image credit is listed at the end of this article.

Spaghetti junction is a nickname sometimes given to a complex or massively intertwined road traffic interchange that is said to resemble the interwoven state of a plate of spaghetti. Such interchanges may incorporate a variety of interchange design elements in order to maximize connectivity.

01Etymology

In the U.S., use of the term "Spaghetti Junction" dates back to a 1959 description of a planned interchange in Louisville, Kentucky.

In Europe, the term was originally used to refer to the Gravelly Hill Interchange on the M6 motorway in Birmingham, United Kingdom. In an article published in the Birmingham Evening Mail on 1 June 1965 the journalist Roy Smith described plans for the junction as "like a cross between a plate of spaghetti and an unsuccessful attempt at a Staffordshire knot", with the headline above the article on the newspaper's front page, written by sub-editor Alan Eaglesfield, reading "Spaghetti Junction". Since then many complex interchanges around the world have acquired the nickname. Throughout North America, this type of interchange is widely referred to as a spaghetti junction, mixing bowl, knot, or maze, often including the name of the freeway, city, or notable landmark near enough to the interchange.

A complicated interchange between I-96, M-5, I-275, and I-696 in Novi, Michigan
A complicated interchange between I-96, M-5, I-275, and I-696 in Novi, Michigan
The Tom Moreland Interchange in DeKalb County, Georgia, a five level stack with frontage roads 33°53′31″N 84°15′33″W / 33.892070°N 84.259110°W / 33.892070; -84.259110
The Tom Moreland Interchange in DeKalb County, Georgia, a five level stack with frontage roads 33°53′31″N 84°15′33″W / 33.892070°N 84.259110°W / 33.892070; -84.259110

02By country

Australia

New South Wales

Victoria

Queensland

Botswana

  • Thapama Interchange at the junction of A1 / Blue Jacket Street and A3 in Francistown.

Canada

Alberta

  • The interchange of Deerfoot Trail, Bow Bottom Trail, Anderson Road and 15 Street SE in Calgary. Maps were published in local newspapers to assist drivers with navigating the complex interchange when it opened in 1982.

Ontario

Quebec

China

Germany

Indonesia

Malaysia

Netherlands

  • The Ridderkerk interchange, connecting the A16, A15 and A38. Both the A16 and A15 are split into two carriageways in both directions, serving as separate through-traffic and collector/distributor carriageways.

New Zealand

South Africa

Turkey

  • The İkitelli junction, connecting the highways O-2 and O-7.

United Kingdom

United States

California

Florida

Georgia

Illinois

Indiana

Kentucky

Massachusetts

Minnesota

Missouri

Nevada

New Jersey

New York

Pennsylvania

Tennessee

Texas

  • Spaghetti Bowl, where I-45, Allen Parkway, Memorial Drive, Houston Avenue, McKinney Street, Dallas Street, and Pierce Street meet in Downtown Houston.
  • Spaghetti Bowl, where I-10, I-110, and US 54 meet just east of Downtown El Paso, Texas.

Utah

Virginia

Aerial photo of the Jane Byrne Interchange, (formerly the Circle Interchange), looking southwest, Chicago
Aerial photo of the Jane Byrne Interchange, (formerly the Circle Interchange), looking southwest, Chicago
The South Bay Interchange in Boston
The South Bay Interchange in Boston
Watch videos about Spaghetti junctionExplainers and documentaries on YouTube (opens in a new tab)

Sources and credits

This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article Spaghetti junction, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.

Images, from Wikimedia Commons:

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