Local–express lanes
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The local–express lane system is an arrangement of carriageways within a major highway where long distance traffic can use inner express lanes with fewer interchanges compared to local traffic which use outer local lanes that have access to all interchanges. This can also be called a collector/distributor lane system within a single interchange. One of the longest examples is Highway 401 in Toronto, where highway ramps between express and local lanes cross over one another; these are commonly known as braided ramps and in Toronto as a basketweave.<ref>VDOT: Braided Ramp Demo Template:Webarchive. YouTube (2009-02-26). Retrieved on 2013-07-16.</ref><ref>I-5 196th Braided Ramp animation Template:Webarchive. YouTube (2010-12-02). Retrieved on 2013-07-16.</ref><ref>WSDOT - Project - I-405 – NE 8th St to SR 520 Braided Ramps – Interchange Improvements - Complete May 2012 Template:Webarchive. Wsdot.wa.gov. Retrieved on 2013-07-16.</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>TxDOT IH-10 Section 3 Template:Webarchive. PGAL. Retrieved on 2013-07-16.</ref><ref>State Route 180 Braided Ramps Project Template:Webarchive. Dot.ca.gov. Retrieved on 2013-07-16.</ref>
Some places may have only three carriageways on the highway instead of four, utilizing one directional express lanes. They may be permanent, or they can be reversible express lanes such as in Seattle where they alternate direction.
While the terms "local–express system" and "collector/distributor system" are often used interchangeably, some transportation departments make a distinction between the two. In a local–express system, the inner lanes are called express lanes whereas the outer lanes are called local lanes. In a collector/distributor system, the inner lanes are called mainlines while the outer lanes are called collector/distributor lanes. Generally speaking, a local–express system will have the extra outer lanes present for a long duration of the highway, as opposed to a collector/distributor system where the extra outer lanes are only present at an interchange.
Examples
{{ safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst||date=__DATE__ |$B= Template:Ambox }} The following examples include both local–express and collector/distributor lane systems.
Canada
| Province | Highway | City/Region | Location | Length | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta | Template:Jct | Edmonton | 178 St – 170 St | Template:Convert | Whitemud Drive | |
| Alberta | Template:Jct Template:Jct |
Edmonton | 111 St - 99 St | Template:Convert | Whitemud Drive; Hwy 2 111 St from to Gateway Boulevard; Hwy 14 from Gateway Boulevard to 99 St | |
| Alberta | Template:Jct | Fort McMurray | MacDonald Drive – Confederation Way | Template:Convert | northbound only | |
| Alberta | Template:Jct | Calgary | Scenic Acres Link – Nose Hill Drive | Template:Convert | Stoney Trail | |
| Alberta | Template:Jct | Calgary | Northland Drive – Shaganappi Trail (NB), Shaganappi Trail – Brisebois Dr (SB) | Template:Convert | Crowchild Trail | |
| Alberta | Template:Jct | Calgary | Dalham Crescent (LRT) – 53 St | Template:Convert | Crowchild Trail | |
| British Columbia | Template:Jct | Coquitlam and Surrey | Cape Horn Interchange – 152nd Street | Template:Convert | Connects to the Port Mann Bridge. Express carriageways contain an HOV lane each. | |
| British Columbia | Template:Jct | Delta | Highway 99 between Hwy 17 – Hwy 17A | Template:Convert | Westbound traffic only, ends near the start of reversible lane gates for Massey Tunnel. Local lanes include an HOV lane. Access to reversible lane for Westbound traffic only from express lanes. | |
| Nova Scotia | Template:Jct | Dartmouth | Exit 12 | Template:Convert | southbound only | |
| Ontario | Template:Jct | York Region | Highway 7 interchange – south of Langstaff Road<ref name = "GoogleMaps3">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> ||data-sort-value="3"| Template:Convert || signed as exits to Highway 7 and Langstaff Road rather than collector–express | ||
| Ontario | Template:Jct | Toronto and Durham Region | east of Kipling Avenue (Highway 409 interchange) – Brock Road, Pickering<ref name = "GoogleMaps1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> ||data-sort-value="44"| Template:Convert || Primary system first completed from Islington to Markham Road in 1972, Brock Road in 1997. | ||
| Ontario | Template:Jct | Peel Region | Winston Churchill Boulevard – Highway 427<ref name = "GoogleMaps2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> ||data-sort-value="9.6"| Template:Convert || originally ended at Highway 403 in 1980s, extended to just east of Kennedy Road in early 1990s, extended further westward to Hurontario Street in late-2000s, construction presently underway to complete it just west of Mississauga Road by early 2020s | ||
| Ontario | Template:Jct | Halton Region | James Snow Parkway - Highway 407<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
4.6 km
(2.9 mi) |
Built as a separate stretch due to the 407 overpass not being wide enough for a continuous collector-express system underneath. Completed early 2020s. |
| Ontario | Template:Jct | Peel Region | Highway 401 / Highway 410 interchange – Cawthra Road | Template:Convert | Completed 1994 | |
| Ontario | Template:Jct | Toronto | Highway 401 – just north of Sheppard Avenue East | Template:Convert | 401 eastbound to 404 northbound ramp express lane (no access to Sheppard Avenue offramp) completed 2001, southbound collector lanes completed 2005 | |
| Ontario | Template:Jct | Peel Region | Highway 401 / Highway 403 interchange – Courtneypark Drive | Template:Convert | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> |
| Ontario | Template:Jct | Peel Region | Highway 407 – Courtneypark Drive | 2.0 km (1.3 mi) | citation | CitationClass=web
}}</ref> Opened June 2022 |
| Ontario | Template:Jct | Toronto | Queen Elizabeth Way / Gardiner Expressway – Highway 401 | Template:Convert | ||
| Ontario | Conestoga Parkway | Kitchener | Lancaster Street – Krug Street | Template:Convert | ||
| Ontario | Template:Jct | Toronto | Wickman Road (west of Kipling Avenue) – Royal York Road | Template:Convert | ||
| Quebec | Template:Jct | Laval | Throughout the city of Laval | Template:Convert | ||
| Quebec | Template:Jct | Repentigny | Larochelle Boulevard – Industrial Boulevard | Template:Convert | Exit 98 and Exit 100, with a single transfer in between | |
| Quebec | Template:Jct | Repentigny | Template:Jct – Template:Jct | Template:Convert | eastbound only | |
| Quebec | Template:Jct | West Island | Ste Marie Road- Template:Jct | Template:Convert | ||
| Quebec | Template:Jct | Laval | Template:Jct - East of Industrial Boulevard | Template:Convert |
United States
Other countries
Gallery
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North Access freeway over National Route 9 (Argentina). The express lanes (left, all vehicles) and local lanes (right, cars and buses only) seen in the view towards the north.
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A view of North Access's Freeway at Buenos Aires, Argentina, from the bridge on Pres H.Yrigoyen Street at Florida, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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Local and express lanes can be connected using a basketweave.
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Basketweave on Highway 401 in Toronto
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'The Transfer' on Highway 401 near Toronto Pearson Airport (top of image). Template:Coord
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Express to collector transfer on Highway 401
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Collector–express roadway configuration on Highway 401
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Express and local lanes of Leningradsky Prospekt in Moscow
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Local–express lanes on Interstate 270 in Montgomery County, Maryland
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Garden State Parkway split into local and express lanes in Sayreville, New Jersey
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Example of cloverleaf interchanges
A cloverleaf interchange may have collector/distributor lane system on a freeway or expressway to handle entering and exiting traffic. Usually, this lane will begin as an entrance-only ramp initially, but it will sometimes become a main lane or possibly an exit-only lane. The purpose of this lane is to facilitate traffic to the freeway exits and from the freeway entrances.
See also
- Frontage road
- New York City Subway, known for extensive stretches of local and express tracks running together