Texas U-turn

A Texas U-turn, or Texas turnaround, boomerang, or loop around, is a lane allowing cars traveling on one side of a one-way frontage road to U-turn onto the opposite frontage road (typically crossing over or under a freeway or expressway). Typically controlled by yield signs, these allow U-turning traffic to bypass two traffic signals and avoid crossing the local traffic twice.

A diagram of a Texas U-turn, also known as a Texas turnaround (this one with the local road over the limited-access highway)

If the limited-access highway passes over the local road, the bridge (or bridges) must be longer, to span four directions of traffic and two sidewalks below. If the local road passes over the limited-access highway, the bridge must be wider, to carry four directions of traffic and two sidewalks over the highway.

Usage

This highway configuration originated (and is particularly common) in the U.S. state of Texas,[1] especially in the Austin, Dallas–Fort Worth, El Paso, Houston, and San Antonio metropolitan areas, but can also be found in Huntsville, Alabama; Peoria, Arizona;[2] Little Rock and North Little Rock, Arkansas; Clearwater and Jacksonville, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Chicago, Illinois; Wichita, Kansas; Detroit, Michigan; Jackson, Mississippi; Kansas City and St. Louis, Missouri; Las Cruces, New Mexico; New York City, New York; Cleveland, Ohio; Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Oklahoma; Lancaster, Pennsylvania; and Lehi and Provo, Utah.

It is common in Michigan, where frontage roads travel along freeways. In some cases these are controlled by signals, and are similar to the Michigan left. They are also used less frequently in other areas of the world.

An unusual example of this configuration in the northeastern United States can be found at the Latham Circle, located in the hamlet of Latham, New York. Here, US Route 9 travels north-south underneath a roundabout carrying NY Route 2 east-west. In this case, the frontage roads are really the ramps which allow traffic from US Route 9 to connect to NY Route 2. These ramps are connected to two Texas U-turn ramps, which let motorists exiting adjacent businesses to travel in the opposite direction, and onto US Route 9.

Another example of this is in the Bronx, New York City at Rosedale Avenue by the Cross Bronx Expressway (I-95) at exit 4B for motorists heading north on the Cross Bronx to turn and head back south or to connect to the northbound Bronx River Parkway without disturbing Rosedale Avenue. This is due to the nearby I-895 and East 177th Street not having direct connections to the Bronx River Parkway, which is also nearby.[3]

In Queens, New York City, there is a Texas U-turn at I-678 near northbound exit 14 (Linden Place). This is so motorists can get to the nearby shopping center located to the west of I-678.

In Edmonton, Alberta, examples can be found along the Yellowhead Trail.

In London, United Kingdom, examples can be found beneath the Hammersmith flyover and also at the Hanger Lane gyratory.

In Birmingham, United Kingdom, an example can be found on the Queensway outside St. Chad's Cathedral.

In Sydney, Australia, Texas U-turns are located at the junction between the Pacific Highway and the A3 (Ryde Road & Mona Vale Road).

In Nanjing, China, Texas U-turns are common along the Inner Ring Road.

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See also

References
  1. Section 2.1
  3. Bronx River Parkway 40.8360°N 73.8702°W / 40.8360; -73.8702 – map
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