They are not new to the nation; SPUI's have been installed for many years in many parts of Kentucky, although there are none locally in the Cincinnati region. The interchanges are much more compact and efficient, and with some modifications of the connecting roadway, you can convert a SPUI to a diverging diamond... which is vastly more efficient.

 

The SPUI will cause an aneurysm of shock for most Ohio drivers. The layout of the intersection is just so different than anything around here. The closest one I know of is in Columbus, IN at I-65 and SR 46. I drove through it a few years ago. It gives a high-tech vibe to the roadway.

 

Columbus (OH) also has SPUIs (Sawmill @ 270) and they are pretty easy.

We drove around this outlet for the first time last night. OMG, is it huge. We've visited lots of outlet malls in other states. This place overshadows all of the malls that we've seen on trips.

 

One net positive is that now we won't feel like we're missing out to not go to outlet malls when we're on vacation, thereby freeing up our time to do worthwhile recreational things on vacation. :)

 

And, it has a Books Warehouse. The two that were in the area before (at Cincinnati Mills and Jeffersonville) are long gone.

The SPUI will cause an aneurysm of shock for most Ohio drivers. The layout of the intersection is just so different than anything around here.

 

 

This is day 2 of the SPUI and so far, drivers are negotiating it just fine.  With the road construction still taking place, there are some temporary turn lanes in place, which are not in their final location.  This is causing larger than normal backups.

 

The SPUI is different... no more pulling into the intersection at a green light so you can make the left turn as the light goes yellow/red.    And the extra long turning area in the middle takes some getting used to.

 

Still, 2 days and no major problems with the local drivers.

 

Actually, with all the construction on I-75 and all the interchanges, the driving course seems to change every week.  For major changes, it takes about 2 days for traffic to completely sort it out and be back at the previous driving pace.  For minor changes, traffic hardly misses a beat. 

 

Maybe we are just used to change by now.

 

Vote with your feet.  Jesus.  If you don't support this kind of development, don't even visit.  It sends the wrong message.

We drove around this outlet for the first time last night. OMG, is it huge

 

What do you mean by Huge?  Do you mean the parking lot?  The access roads?  The walking space between buildings? 

 

Someone pointed out on here awhile ago that the actual sq foot under cover was the size of 2 super Walmarts.  I think the Jeffersonville outlet is bigger.  I know Prime Outlets -Waterloo (south of Rochester, NY) is much bigger.  Aren't the ones near Pidgon Forge, Tenn larger?

 

From what I've seen of outlet malls, this one is on the small size.

Re: SPUI. Yeah, those are good points. I drove through it last night, and the outline of the SPUI is becoming evident. I think the main thing drivers have to do is not be distracted by all of the turning arcs painted on the road that they drive across. Given that drivers around this area don't understand left lanes on narrowing highways that merge to the right, I just don't expect good judgement from local drivers.

 

The SPUI will be an immense safety improvement. The old left turns from 63 onto I-75 were very treacherous and time consuming, particularly Rt 63 WB to to I-75 SB.

We drove around this outlet for the first time last night. OMG, is it huge

 

What do you mean by Huge?  Do you mean the parking lot?  The access roads?  The walking space between buildings? 

 

Someone pointed out on here awhile ago that the actual sq foot under cover was the size of 2 super Walmarts.  I think the Jeffersonville outlet is bigger.  I know Prime Outlets -Waterloo (south of Rochester, NY) is much bigger.  Aren't the ones near Pidgon Forge, Tenn larger?

 

From what I've seen of outlet malls, this one is on the small size.

 

My comment was based superficially upon driving the circumference of it at night. Maybe it's because the outlying sidewalks force the radius of that drive to be relatively large.

 

I think that whoever designed the site really showcased the buildings and was trying to make it seem larger than life. The setting contributes to the feeling of scale. Also, this was at night (I've never driven back there during the day) so having the mall highlighted against a dark parking lot adds to the size perception.

 

The malls in Pigeon Forge area tend to be spread out more linearly. They don't give quite the feeling of scale that this one does. I am thinking of one (I think it's Tanger Five Oaks) that is so freaking loooong that you need a tram to cross it from one end to the other.

 

I've been to that outlet in Waterloo NY. It didn't give me quite the same impression of scale.

 

Totally subjective impressions on my part...

Fun times in Monroe. Home Depot is opening it's Distribution Center next door today.

http://www.journal-news.com/news/hamilton-news/wrecks-close-i-75-for-hours-254266.html

 

MONROE — ...

 

It took Morgan two hours to respond to the scene because of the amount of traffic at the Ohio 63 exit. The Monroe Police Department responded about an hour and a half earlier, he said.

 

Traffic tends to get backed up near the interchange in all four directions, controlled by one traffic light, Morgan said. The site is under construction for a single point urban interchange to create continuous traffic flow and is the site of Cincinnati Premium Outlets, a mall, which opened Aug. 6.

 

...

 

^ Not sure what your point is in that article, JSkinner.  Is it the traffic issue, the construction issue, or the SPUI's effect on emergency vehicles?

The traffic at the Monroe AND Middletown interchanges are a mess.  I noticed the traffic backing up onto the interstate this weekend when I was making a run down to Jungle Jims. 

 

As for the SPUI, looking at Shermans pix.  I dont see the benefit.  I still would drive through two lights to get past that interchange, except for some reason the traffic shifts to the left as it goes under the overpass.

^I think that's an different kinda interchange which an SPUI can be converted too.

The SR 63 interchange badly needed a redesign. The left turn from Rt 63 west bound onto 75 south has been a tedious and risky bottleneck. At certain times of the day you simply don't get a break from the eastbound traffic on 63. 

 

The interchange at rt 122 is all torn up to redo that interchange as well and SR 122 under the highway is also a PITA. I believe they are eliminating the merge that northbound I-75 traffic had to do with traffic entering I-75 from rt 122 in order to exit the freeway.

 

The road construction around Warren County is driving me nuts and even short trips need to be preplanned. Even Rt 48 is closed just south of Centerville.

The traffic at the Monroe AND Middletown interchanges are a mess. I noticed the traffic backing up onto the interstate this weekend when I was making a run down to Jungle Jims.

 

As for the SPUI, looking at Shermans pix. I dont see the benefit. I still would drive through two lights to get past that interchange, except for some reason the traffic shifts to the left as it goes under the overpass.

 

The modified SPUI is called a diverging diamond. It allows for only two-phase operations at all signals, which is a huge safety boost as it eliminates all left-turn traffic and cattle-prods traffic into distinct zones. It is also vastly more efficient, as there are only two green intervals, versus six+ for other interchanges.

 

Interstate 64 and I think Hurstbourne Parkway in Louisville is set to receive that configuration in a few years.

I found this explanation: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diverging_diamond_interchange

 

I kept looking at the picture you posted and I didn't believe what I was seeing - traffic routed into the opposite side within the intersection. Then I studied the way that the "left" or "right" would be made onto the highway and it makes perfect (but insane) sense.

 

Is the "diverging diamond" the style actually planned for Monroe?

No, just a single-point urban interchange (SPUI).

The interchange at rt 122 is all torn up to redo that interchange as well and SR 122 under the highway is also a PITA. I believe they are eliminating the merge that northbound I-75 traffic had to do with traffic entering I-75 from rt 122 in order to exit the freeway.

 

The merge will still exist, but there will be an additional ramp from northbound 75 to 122 that does not loop to the west toward Middletown.

I was hoping this thread would bury itself by now.  Reminds me of the IKEA and Creationism Museum threads. Ugh.

I was hoping this thread would bury itself by now. Reminds me of the IKEA and Creationism Museum threads. Ugh.

 

Fun times in the Cincy hinterlands, no?

 

Traffic was backed up a mile in both directions on I-75 from this mess. Glad I only have to drive by this thing when I'm coming home from vacation.

 

Blows my mind that all those people think they're getting a deal on this crap.

^

Yeah, I was on my way back from a ligonberry soda run to IKEA today and noticed the massive traffic jams.  Wow. 

I think this mall opening has captured a lot of attention (and bile) because it's another decisive link in the "Cincinnati-Dayton Metroplex". We're seeing the region transform before our eyes. The Cincinnati-Dayton region is becoming a scale model of New Jersey.

 

I have a fatalistic view of it: yeah, it's ecologically questionable, but it will make Christmas shopping much easier.

 

We were out today driving south on 741 near Austin Pike in Montgomery County and I was just thinking that that is gonna be another Union Center type deal.

^

Thats the idea, that Austin Road is to be another Union Center.

 

It's fascinating watching this transition to "Cin-Day".  Yesterday down to IKEA, I drove the old Cin-Day Raod to see how things are booming, and its really noticeable in Lemon Township, too, now..but especially in Liberty Township and at that intersection with I-75, the new retail stuff popping up.  It was years since Ive driven that road so he changes are noticeable.

I would hardly call an outlet mall a 'decisive link' in the 'Cincinnati-Dayton Metroplex.'

Traffic was backed up a mile in both directions on I-75 from this mess. Glad I only have to drive by this thing when ...

 

Not exactly true.

 

The traffic was backed up a mile in both directions due to road construction.

 

In essence.... Monroe took sr63 from 4 lanes to 2, at the same time as the state took the exit ramps from 2 lanes to 1.  And they keep halting traffic to allow big construction equipment to cross the lanes.  All this at the same time the mall opened, and the Home Depot distribution center opened. How's that for your brilliant urban planning!  What a bunch of crock!

 

 

Up until 2 weeks ago, there were defacto 2 lanes on the exit ramps.  Last Monday they changed the traffic pattern so that there is currently only 1 exit lane. Anyone turning left at the top of the ramp (toward Monroe proper) causes all right-turning (toward the mall) to wait.

 

And the city of Monroe decided to redo sr63 thru the area at the same time.  Basically they tore up the west bound lanes between the mall, over I-75, and nearly all the way to  Cin-Day rd.  They routed the traffic to the east-bound lanes.

 

Yes, the mall is getting a lot of traffic right now, but the backups are due more to the construction than to the mall.

It is a link in a chain, a bond of connections between two cities.

Butter Jesus caught fire tonight. I think it melted into this nice pile of delicious corn-on-the-cob spread.

Seriously???  There is a God!

So long as the Hustler Superstore is unscathed, all is right with the world.

Butter Jesus caught fire tonight. I think it melted into this nice pile of delicious corn-on-the-cob spread.

 

I so thought you were joking that evening!