GB2466279A

GB2466279A - Motorway junction system

Info

Publication number: GB2466279A
Application number: GB0823119A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Charles Edwards
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2008-12-18
Filing date: 2008-12-18
Publication date: 2010-06-23
Also published as: GB0823119D0

Abstract

The motorway junction system, primarily to enable the provision of a second tier of motorway above the existing motorway, uses slip roads 1,5 leading from each road A,B to the road on the left (for left hand drive) in conjunction with underground tunnels 3,7 located in each direction on each road at a point past the junction that enable vehicles on a particular road to double back towards the junction, such that a right hand turn can be made by first doubling back and then making a left hand turn. A second tier of motorway may be provided, cantilevered on a central support located in the central reservation and secured to flexible outrigger supports. The upper road surface may be factory manufactured from wrought iron with ramps provided to access and exit the upper level.

Description

SUPER HIGHWAY.

This invention relates to a more advanced motorway.

Apparently the TJK has approximately 30 million motorists and although additional motorways have been constructed such a the M40 and M60 congestion continues to increases such that the present government are now planning to have constructed extra lanes alongside some existing motorways. It occurred to me the better solution is to construct a super highway through open countryside from say Salisbury to the east of Leicester followed by a second section from Leicester to Edinburgh with the minimum number of straight line sections. The effect of this comprehensive new "Super Highway" will be to take long haul traffic away from the motorway network particularly in the east providing long term relief whilst servicing all points of the compass.

The essential idea is a radical change in the design of motorways, todate current motorway design is not devoid of congestion the primary cause of which is the design of the junctions interconnecting any number of routes and each with traffic light control such that long queues can build up on the motorway exits. Junctions built above the motorway prohibit construction of a two tier system.

This invention illustrates a three lane motorway, in each direction with the option to construct a second tier giving an extra 2 lanes in each direction making ten lanes in total, for example, going east and 5 going west. When congestion becomes a problem at a particular location, the upper surfaces can easily be added being a simple solution rather than adding extra lanes at ground level which can be very disruptive.

A key feature of this new design relates to the junctions where traffic wishing to change direction either make a simple turn or use one of four turnarounds where traffic flows under the motorway in one direction only and without traffic lights such that there are no congestion points anywhere on the motorway caused by the system, in addition, at each junction there is a choice of two routes for any direction, this is particularly useful if one direction is blocked or under maintenance.

A specific embodiment of this invention will now be described by way of example.with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Sheet 1, Shows a general arrangement of junction layout where two motorways cross.

Sheet 2, Shows a cross section of a typical motorway.

Sheet 3, Shows a cross section of a two tier motorway.

Sheet 4, Shows a close up view of the central section of a typical junction.

Sheet 5, Shows a close up view of a typical turnaround.

Sheet 6, Shows a comprehensive view of various interlockingoads and a full junction.

Description

Essentially the illustrations feature motorways that cross, one passing under the other, each with 3 lanes iii each direction however, the central reservation area "K" is made sufficiently wide to allow the addition of support columns 25 when the second tier is added and sufficiently wide enough to allow the temporary depostt of damaged vehicles or contractors plant and perhaps even a police patrol car to occupy this carriageway separation area such that should the police or indeed any service vehicle wish, they can join either carriageway.

Lane Ii shown at 12 and 24 is an additional feature of this design in that it controls vehicles entering or leaving the motorway, acts as a hard shoulder where allowed and is the point of entry or exit of vehicles using the upper motorway levels. Lane 11 is also used by vehicles changing direction at junctions, for example, vehicles using carriageway "D", exit 2 and turnaround 3 that leads to re-entry 4 with the intention of taking exit 5 to head north, these vehicles will stay in lane 11 between point 4 and 5, effectively no hard shoulder for this distance. arrow 24 points to lane 11 on sheet 5 Sheet 5 also shows two police patrol points "S" and "R" alongside lane ii, these posts are sufficient to house one extra vehicle.

As stated earlier, there are two routes for changing direction at these new motorway junctions, for example, to go south on motorway "B" whilst travelling west on motorway A" the simple route is to leave carriageway "D" by taking bend 1 which slopes down to "W but, should this exit be blocked, you can continue and take turnaround 3, exit 5 to turnaround 7 and join motorway "B" heading south. Turnaround 3 must be under the motorway whilst turnaround 7 being on the lower motorway "B" can be above or below the motorway surface as it is unlikely that any second tier would exist at this point.

The upper road surface is a balancing cantilever, item 2 I sheet 3, supported on a series of central columns 25 plus outrigger supports at 16 which run alongside each carriageway and incorporate sound barriers where appropriate, additional sound barrier shown at 17. The upper road surface can be factory manufactured from wrought iron. Access to the upper levels is via the ramps shown at 22 positioned each side of the carriageway emanating from lane 11, not interfering with general traffic flow in either direction. High sided vehicles are restricted to the lower levels.

Other roads that need to cross these super highways can do so using a separate tunnel running alongside the turnarounds as indicated on sheet 5 items 30, 31 and 32, such a system is also illustrated on sheet 6 at 44 adjacent to turnaround 35. Sheet 6 also illustrates lane 11 shown at 38 leading to ramps 22 giving access to the upper level which starts at point 39, the second tier section runs north across the east/west super highway. Also note the four turnarounds for junction 36. Junction 45 shows the current out of date roundabout above the motorway.

For traffic at D2 to leave the upper level they must, as per current procedures, filter left to the start of exit ramp at 20 this allows the user to return to ground level at 12 using ramp 22, from this point the driver has the option of moving to the underpass 18 sheet 2 or exiting the system or indeed, returning to the lower lanes, thus it is easy for any manoeuvre including taking the underpass to change direction and return from where they came.

Of course all road layouts will be dependent on the terrain however, in either of these drawings there is no situation where traffic is crossing in front of vehicles moving in other lanes. The whole object of these designs and the below motorway junction is that all traffic flows in the same direction, there are NO trafftc lights on any of the junctions and NO congestion points. The below level turnarounds make it possible to add the second tier at a future date.

Sheet 5 shows a typical turnaround but with the addition of a road crossing the system, effectively the turnaround incorporates an extra circular tunnel as shown at 31.

In an attempt to illustrate the features and benefits associated with these new designs, sheet 6 is based on the M25 junction with the MI north of London.

Claims

CLAIMSA super highway with two tier capability wherein, circular turnarounds displaced from the centre allow motorists to cross the motorway taking vehicles below the roadway and after the intersection in each direction making four for each effective crossroad.
2 A super highway with two tier capability as claimed in claim I above wherein, the junctions as shown offer motorist a choices of two routes in order to change direction.
3 A super highway with two tier capability as claimed in claim 1 and 2 above wherein, the junctions illustrated are without vehicles crossing the path of other traffic thus all junctions are free of traffic lights and without any system generated congestion points.
4 A super highway with two tier capability as claimed in claim 1 to 3 above wherein, lane 11, formerly the hard shoulder, now allows traffic to enter or leave the motorway, travel to and from the upper motorway level via ramps 22, used as a carriageway 24 sheet
5 between turnaround underpass and changing direction and used as a hard shoulder where appropriate.

A super highway with two tier capability as claimed in claims 4 above wherein, the option exists to construct an overhead 2 lane motorway cantilevered about the central support columns plus flexible outrigger supports fixed above the sound barriers on each side.
6 A super highway with two tier capability as claimed in claim S wherein, the central reservation area "K1 is sufficiently wide to incorporate support columns for the upper road cantilever section, contractors plant and temporary use for damaged vehicles etc. 7 A super highway with two tier capability substantially as described herein with reference to drawing sheets 1 and 6.