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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.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
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 a local–express system and a collector/distributor system are 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
![]() | The examples and perspective in this article deal primarily with North America and do not represent a worldwide view of the subject. (January 2019) |
The following examples include both local–express and collector/distributor lane systems.
Canada
Province | Highway | City/Region | Location | Length | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alberta | ![]() |
Edmonton | 178 St – 170 St | 1.2 km (0.75 mi) | Whitemud Drive |
Alberta | ![]() ![]() |
Edmonton | 111 St - 99 St | 2.1 km (1.3 mi) | Whitemud Drive; Hwy 2 111 St from to Gateway Boulevard; Hwy 14 from Gateway Boulevard to 99 St |
Alberta | ![]() |
Fort McMurray | MacDonald Drive – Confederation Way | 5 km (3.1 mi) | northbound only |
Alberta | ![]() |
Calgary | Scenic Acres Link – Nose Hill Drive | 2.5 km (1.6 mi) | Stoney Trail |
Alberta | ![]() |
Calgary | Northland Drive – Shaganappi Trail (NB), Shaganappi Trail – Brisebois Dr (SB) | 2 km (1.2 mi) | Crowchild Trail |
Alberta | ![]() |
Calgary | Dalham Crescent (LRT) – 53 St | 1 km (0.62 mi) | Crowchild Trail |
British Columbia | ![]() |
Coquitlam and Surrey | Cape Horn Interchange – 152nd Street | 5.4 km (3.4 mi) | Connects to the Port Mann Bridge. Express carriageways contain an HOV lane each. |
British Columbia | ![]() |
Delta | Highway 99 between Hwy 17 – Hwy 17A | 2.70 km (1.68 mi) | 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 | ![]() |
Dartmouth | Exit 12 | 2.2 km (1.4 mi) | southbound only |
Ontario | ![]() |
York Region | Highway 7 interchange – south of Langstaff Road[7] | 3.0 km (1.9 mi) | signed as exits to Highway 7 and Langstaff Road rather than collector–express |
Ontario | ![]() |
Toronto and Durham Region | east of Kipling Avenue (Highway 409 interchange) – Brock Road, Pickering[8] | 44 km (27 mi) | Primary system first completed from Islington to Markham Road in 1972, Brock Road in 1997. Longest local-express system in Canada. |
Ontario | ![]() |
Peel Region | Winston Churchill Boulevard – Highway 427[9] | 9.6 km (6.0 mi) | 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 | ![]() |
Halton Region | James Snow Parkway - Highway 407[10] | 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 | ![]() |
Peel Region | Highway 401 / Highway 410 interchange – Cawthra Road | 3.4 km (2.1 mi) | Completed 1994 |
Ontario | ![]() |
Toronto | Highway 401 – just north of Sheppard Avenue East | 1.8 km (1.1 mi) | 401 eastbound to 404 northbound ramp express lane (no access to Sheppard Avenue offramp) completed 2001, southbound collector lanes completed 2005 |
Ontario | ![]() |
Peel Region | Highway 401 / Highway 403 interchange – Courtneypark Drive | 1.8 km (1.1 mi) | northbound only, access to the express from the 403 only[11] |
Ontario | ![]() |
Peel Region | Highway 407 – Courtneypark Drive | 2.0 km (1.3 mi) | southbound only; signed as exits to Derry Road and Courtneypark Drive rather than collector–express.[12] Opened June 2022 |
Ontario | ![]() |
Toronto | Queen Elizabeth Way / Gardiner Expressway – Highway 401 | 6.8 km (4.2 mi) | |
Ontario | Conestoga Parkway | Kitchener | Lancaster Street – Krug Street | 2.3 km (1.4 mi) | |
Ontario | ![]() |
Toronto | Wickman Road (west of Kipling Avenue) – Royal York Road | 2.7 km (1.7 mi) | |
Quebec | ![]() |
Laval | Throughout the city of Laval | 8.6 km (5.3 mi) | |
Quebec | ![]() |
Repentigny | Larochelle Boulevard – Industrial Boulevard | 4.3 km (2.7 mi) | Exit 98 and Exit 100, with a single transfer in between |
Quebec | ![]() |
Repentigny | ![]() ![]() |
4.2 km (2.6 mi) | eastbound only |
Quebec | ![]() |
West Island | Ste Marie Road- ![]() |
18.4 km (11.4 mi) | |
Quebec | ![]() |
Laval | ![]() |
8.1 km (5.0 mi) |
United States
State | Highway | City/Region | Location | Length | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
California | ![]() |
Santa Ana | Orange Crush Interchange (SR 22 / SR 57) – Main Street | 1.1 miles (1.8 km) | southbound only |
California | ![]() |
Irvine | Lake Forest Drive – Irvine Center Drive | 2.2 miles (3.5 km) | El Toro Y (Junction I-405) |
California | ![]() |
Sorrento Valley, San Diego | I-805 – SR 56 | 2.5 miles (4.0 km) | signed local–express lane system |
California | ![]() |
Los Angeles | I-110 / SR 110 – Arlington Avenue | 2.4 miles (3.9 km) | |
California | ![]() |
Chula Vista | H Street – E Street / Bonita Road | 0.9 miles (1.4 km) | northbound only |
California | ![]() |
San Mateo County | near San Francisco International Airport | 1.7 miles (2.7 km) | |
California | ![]() |
I-280 – Julian Street along Downtown San Jose | 1.2 miles (1.9 km) | northbound | |
California | ![]() |
I-280 – Alma Avenue | 0.7 miles (1.1 km) | southbound | |
California | ![]() |
El Cajon | Navajo Road – Grossmont College Drive | 0.6 miles (0.97 km) | collector-distributor system |
California | ![]() |
Fresno | SR 41 / SR 168 interchanges | 1.1 miles (1.8 km) | This interchange is unusual because it also allows traffic to flow directly between SR 41 and SR 168 bypassing SR 180, making it in effect a double braided ramp. www.dot.ca.gov Google Maps |
Florida | ![]() |
Jacksonville | Between Collins Road and Roosevelt Boulevard/US-17 | 3.4 miles (5.47 km) | |
Georgia | ![]() |
Gwinnett County | Exit 104 – Exit 109 | 5.4 miles (8.7 km) | collector distributor system |
Georgia | ![]() ![]() |
Fulton County | Between Georgia State Route 14 and split of I-85 and I-285. | 1.0 mile (1.6 km) | Dual express carriageways and CD road for local exits |
Illinois | ![]() ![]() |
Chicago | Ohio Street – Edens Expressway | 7.0 miles (11.3 km) | reversible express lane |
Illinois | ![]() ![]() |
Chicago | 71st Street – I-55 | 5.5 miles (8.9 km) | signed local–express lane system; no trucks are allowed in the express lanes |
Illinois | ![]() |
Rolling Meadows | I-290 – Kirchhoff Road | 2.1 miles (3.4 km) | local–express format |
Iowa | ![]() ![]() |
Council Bluffs | I-80 Exit 1 to Exit 4 | 3.12 miles (5.02 km) | signed local–express lane system; dual-divided freeway format |
Kansas | ![]() |
Lenexa | K-10 Exit to Interstate 435 East, Lackman Road & Interstate 35 | 2.18 miles (3.51 km) | Dual-divided freeway format |
Maryland | ![]() |
Baltimore County | White Marsh – Baltimore | 7.6 miles (12.2 km) | signed local–express lane system |
Maryland | ![]() |
Montgomery County | Montrose Road – Montgomery Village Avenue | 8.3 miles (13.4 km) | signed local–express lane system |
Maryland | ![]() |
Montgomery County | Montrose Road – I-370 | 5.6 miles (9.0 km) | signed local–express lane system |
Michigan | ![]() |
Detroit | Outer Drive – Davison Avenue | 5.8 miles (9.3 km) | signed local–express lane system |
Mississippi | ![]() |
Hernando | I-69 / I-269 | 1.08 miles (1.74 km) | |
Nebraska | ![]() |
Omaha | 93rd Street – 120th Street | 1.5 miles (2.4 km) | Elevated West Dodge Freeway bypasses 114th and 120th Street intersections; West Dodge Road is technically a frontage road due to multiple at-grade intersections |
New Jersey | ![]() |
I-95 / N.J. Turnpike – Route 24 | 10.2 miles (16.4 km) | signed local–express lane system | |
New Jersey | ![]() |
I-95 / G.S. Parkway – I-280 / I-287 | 6.2 miles (10.0 km) | signed local–express lane system | |
New Jersey | ![]() ![]() |
Ridgefield Park | between Overpeck Creek and US 46 – George Washington Bridge. | 5.1 miles (8.2 km) | signed local–express lane system |
New Jersey | ![]() |
I-78 – US 202 / US 206 | 3.0 miles (4.8 km) | ||
New Jersey | ![]() |
Route 81 – US 1/9 Truck | 5.9 miles (9.5 km) | signed local–express lane system | |
New Jersey | ![]() |
N.J. Turnpike western spur – Route 495 | 1.2 miles (1.9 km) | ||
New Jersey | ![]() |
Middlesex & Monmouth counties | Raritan tolls – Asbury Park tolls | 21.8 miles (35.1 km) | signed local–express lane system |
New York | ![]() |
Elmhurst | Exit 19 | 1.4 miles (2.3 km) | |
New York | Cross County Parkway | Yonkers-Mount Vernon | Cross County Parkway (Exits 4S / 4N - Exit 8) | 2.10 miles (3.38 km) | signed local–express lane system |
New York | Westchester Avenue | Harrison | I-287 (Exits 9S / 9N) | 2.8 miles (4.5 km) | |
Ohio | ![]() |
Columbus | SR 161 – McCutcheon Road (just north of I-670) | 3.3 miles (5.3 km) | |
Ohio | ![]() |
Greater Cleveland | I-480 (North Randall) – I-90 (Willoughby Hills) | 13.9 miles (22.4 km) | signed local–express lane system |
Ohio | ![]() |
Greater Cleveland | I-77 (Independence) – Transportation Boulevard / East 98th Street (Garfield Heights) | 0.8 miles (1.3 km) | signed local–express lane system |
Pennsylvania | ![]() |
Cranberry Township | PA 228 | 2 miles (3.2 km) | southbound only |
Pennsylvania | ![]() |
Northeast Philadelphia | 11.9 miles (19.2 km) | surface roadway with express and local lanes | |
Texas | ![]() |
San Antonio | Exit 567 – Exit 570 | 2.0 miles (3.2 km) | |
Texas | ![]() ![]() |
San Antonio | Exit 155A (Spur 536) –Exit 154A (Loop 353) | 0.7 miles (1.1 km) | |
Texas | ![]() |
San Antonio | Exit 156 (I-10) – Exit 158 (I-37) | 1.8 miles (2.9 km) | |
Texas | ![]() |
northern Dallas | Exit 19 – Exit 27C (I-35E) | 9.9 miles (15.9 km) | |
Virginia | ![]() |
Washington metropolitan area | I-495 (Exit 18) | 14.0 miles (22.5 km)[13] | |
Washington D.C./Virginia/Maryland | ![]() |
Washington metropolitan area | Telegraph Road (Alexandria, Virginia) – MD 210 (Oxon Hill, Maryland) | 6.6 miles (10.6 km) | signed local–express lane system |
Washington | ![]() |
Seattle | Yesler Way – NE Northgate Way | 7.3 miles (11.7 km) | reversible express lanes |
Washington | ![]() |
Seattle | Holgate Street – 8th Avenue tunnel | 1.7 miles (2.7 km) | |
Wisconsin | ![]() ![]() |
Milwaukee | College Avenue – I-41 / I-43 | 2.5 miles (4.0 km) | Local lanes provide access to Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport's Airport Spur and other local exits |
Other countries
Gallery
-
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.
-
A view of North Access's Freeway at Buenos Aires, Argentina, from the bridge on Pres H.Yrigoyen Street at Florida, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
-
Local and express lanes can be connected using a basketweave.
-
Basketweave on Highway 401 in Toronto
-
'The Transfer' on Highway 401 near Toronto Pearson Airport (top of image). 43°38′54″N 79°38′14″W / 43.648373°N 79.637085°W
-
Express to collector transfer on Highway 401
-
Collector–express roadway configuration on Highway 401
-
Express and local lanes of Leningradsky Prospekt in Moscow
-
Local–express lanes on Interstate 270 in Montgomery County, Maryland
-
Garden State Parkway split into local and express lanes in Sayreville, New Jersey
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
References
- ^ VDOT: Braided Ramp Demo Archived 2017-04-10 at the Wayback Machine. YouTube (2009-02-26). Retrieved on 2013-07-16.
- ^ I-5 196th Braided Ramp animation Archived 2017-04-10 at the Wayback Machine. YouTube (2010-12-02). Retrieved on 2013-07-16.
- ^ WSDOT - Project - I-405 – NE 8th St to SR 520 Braided Ramps – Interchange Improvements - Complete May 2012 Archived 2010-07-10 at the Wayback Machine. Wsdot.wa.gov. Retrieved on 2013-07-16.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2012-02-21. Retrieved 2012-12-11.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ TxDOT IH-10 Section 3 Archived 2014-12-01 at the Wayback Machine. PGAL. Retrieved on 2013-07-16.
- ^ State Route 180 Braided Ramps Project Archived 2011-12-20 at the Wayback Machine. Dot.ca.gov. Retrieved on 2013-07-16.
- ^ Tele Atlas. "Driving directions to Unknown road". Google Maps. Mountain View, U.S. Archived from the original on 2024-01-06. Retrieved 2009-04-30.
- ^ Tele Atlas. "Driving directions to King's Hwy 401/MacDonald-Cartier Fwy/Hwy of Heroes". Google Maps. Mountain View, U.S. Archived from the original on 2024-01-06. Retrieved 2009-04-28.
- ^ Tele Atlas. "Driving directions to King's Hwy 401/MacDonald-Cartier Fwy". Google Maps. Mountain View, U.S. Archived from the original on 2024-01-06. Retrieved 2009-04-28.
- ^ "Highway 401 Expansion Project". Infrastructure Ontario. Archived from the original on 2023-04-15. Retrieved 2023-04-15.
- ^ "HIGHWAY 410 COLLECTOR LANES, BRAMPTON – Bot Construction Group". www.botconstruction.ca. Archived from the original on 2021-09-20. Retrieved 2021-09-20.
- ^ "HIGHWAY 410 COLLECTOR LANES, BRAMPTON – Bot Construction Group". www.botconstruction.ca. Archived from the original on 2021-09-20. Retrieved 2021-09-20.
- ^ "FHWA - Center for Innovative Finance Support - Project Profiles". Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Archived from the original on 2023-05-15. Retrieved 2023-05-15.
External links
Media related to Local-express lanes at Wikimedia Commons