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.VDOT: Braided Ramp Demo . YouTube (2009-02-26). Retrieved on 2013-07-16.I-5 196th Braided Ramp animation . 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 . Wsdot.wa.gov. Retrieved on 2013-07-16.TxDOT IH-10 Section 3 . PGAL. Retrieved on 2013-07-16.State Route 180 Braided Ramps Project . Dot.ca.gov. Retrieved on 2013-07-16.
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
The following examples include both local–express and collector/distributor lane systems.
Canada Province HighwayCity/RegionLocationLengthNotes AlbertaEdmonton178 St – 170 StWhitemud DriveAlbertaEdmonton111 St - 99 StWhitemud Drive; Hwy 2 111 St from to Gateway Boulevard; Hwy 14 from Gateway Boulevard to 99 St Alberta Fort McMurray MacDonald Drive – Confederation Way northbound onlyAlbertaCalgaryScenic Acres Link – Nose Hill DriveStoney TrailAlberta CalgaryNorthland Drive – Shaganappi Trail (NB), Shaganappi Trail – Brisebois Dr (SB)Crowchild TrailAlbertaCalgaryDalham Crescent (LRT) – 53 StCrowchild Trail British Columbia Coquitlam and Surrey Cape Horn Interchange – 152nd Street Connects to the Port Mann Bridge. Express carriageways contain an HOV lane each. British Columbia Delta Highway 99 between Hwy 17 – Hwy 17A 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 southbound only Ontario York Region Highway 7 interchange – south of Langstaff Road 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 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 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 2020sOntarioHalton RegionJames Snow Parkway - Highway 4074.6 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 Completed 1994 Ontario Toronto Highway 401 – just north of Sheppard Avenue East 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 northbound only, access to the express from the 403 onlyOntarioPeel Region Highway 407 – Courtneypark Drive2.0 km (1.3 mi)southbound only; signed as exits to Derry Road and Courtneypark Drive rather than collector–express. Opened June 2022 Ontario Toronto Queen Elizabeth Way / Gardiner Expressway – Highway 401 Ontario Conestoga Parkway Kitchener Lancaster Street – Krug Street Ontario Toronto Wickman Road (west of Kipling Avenue) – Royal York Road Quebec Laval Throughout the city of Laval Quebec Repentigny Larochelle Boulevard – Industrial Boulevard Exit 98 and Exit 100, with a single transfer in between Quebec Repentigny – eastbound only Quebec West Island Ste Marie Road- Quebec Laval - East of Industrial Boulevard
United States StateHighwayCity/RegionLocation LengthNotes California Santa Ana Orange Crush Interchange (SR 22 / SR 57) – Main Street southbound only California Irvine Lake Forest Drive – Irvine Center Drive El Toro Y (Junction I-405) California Sorrento Valley, San Diego I-805 – SR 56 signed local–express lane system California Los Angeles I-110 / SR 110 – Arlington Avenue California Chula Vista H Street – E Street / Bonita Road northbound only California San Mateo County near San Francisco International Airport California I-280 – Julian Street along Downtown San Jose northbound California I-280 – Alma Avenue southbound California El Cajon Navajo Road – Grossmont College Drive collector-distributor system California Fresno SR 41 / SR 168 interchanges 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. FloridaJacksonvilleBetween Collins Road and Roosevelt Boulevard/US-173.4 miles (5.47 km) Georgia Gwinnett County Exit 104 – Exit 109 collector-distributor systemGeorgia Fulton CountyBetween Georgia State Route 14 and split of I-85 and I-285. Dual express carriageways and CD road for local exits Georgia Columbus Between Interstate 185 and Moon Road collector-distributor system Illinois Chicago Ohio Street – Edens Expressway reversible express lane Illinois Chicago 71st Street – I-55 signed local–express lane system; no trucks are allowed in the express lanes Illinois Rolling Meadows I-290 – Kirchhoff Road local–express format Iowa Council Bluffs I-80 Exit 1 to Exit 4 signed local–express lane system; dual-divided freeway format Kansas Lenexa K-10 Exit to Interstate 435 East, Lackman Road & Interstate 35 Dual-divided freeway format Maryland Baltimore County White Marsh – Baltimore signed local–express lane system Maryland Montgomery County Montrose Road – Montgomery Village Avenue signed local–express lane system Maryland Montgomery County Montrose Road – I-370 signed local–express lane system Michigan Detroit Outer Drive – Davison Avenue signed local–express lane system Mississippi Hernando I-69 / I-269 Nebraska Omaha 93rd Street – 120th Street 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 signed local–express lane system New Jersey I-95 / G.S. Parkway – I-280 / I-287 signed local–express lane system New Jersey Ridgefield Park between Overpeck Creek and US 46 – George Washington Bridge. signed local–express lane system New Jersey I-78 – US 202 / US 206 New Jersey Route 81 – US 1/9 Truck signed local–express lane system New Jersey N.J. Turnpike western spur – Route 495 New Jersey Middlesex & Monmouth counties Raritan tolls – Asbury Park tolls signed local–express lane system New York Elmhurst Exit 19 New York Cross County Parkway Yonkers-Mount Vernon Cross County Parkway (Exits 4S / 4N - Exit 8) signed local–express lane system New York Westchester Avenue Harrison I-287 (Exits 9S / 9N) Ohio Columbus SR 161 – McCutcheon Road (just north of I-670) Ohio Greater Cleveland I-480 (North Randall) – I-90 (Willoughby Hills) signed local–express lane system Ohio Greater Cleveland I-77 (Independence) – Transportation Boulevard / East 98th Street (Garfield Heights) signed local–express lane system Pennsylvania Cranberry Township PA 228 southbound only Pennsylvania Northeast Philadelphia surface roadway with express and local lanes Texas San Antonio Exit 567 – Exit 570 Texas San Antonio Exit 155A (Spur 536) –Exit 154A (Loop 353) Texas San Antonio Exit 156 (I-10) – Exit 158 (I-37) Texas northern Dallas Exit 19 – Exit 27C (I-35E) UtahMidvale9400 S – 7200 Snorthbound onlyUtahSalt Lake City1300 S – 2700 Scollector-distributor systemVirginia VA-267 (Dulles Toll Road)Washington metropolitan areaI-495 (Exit 18) - Washington Dulles International Airport14.0 miles (22.5 km) Washington D.C./Virginia/Maryland Washington metropolitan area Telegraph Road (Alexandria, Virginia) – MD 210 (Oxon Hill, Maryland) signed local–express lane system Washington Seattle Yesler Way – NE Northgate Way reversible express lanes Washington Seattle Holgate Street – 8th Avenue tunnel Wisconsin Milwaukee College Avenue – I-41 / I-43 Local lanes provide access to Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport's Airport Spur and other local exits
Other countries CountryHighwayCityLocationLengthNotesArgentina National Route 9 (North Access freeway)Buenos AiresVicente López – San IsidroAustralia Warringah FreewaySydneyMiller Street – Bradfield HighwayAustralia West Gate FreewayMelbourneEastern section: (CityLink) – Burnley Tunnel/Domain TunnelWestern section: Hyde Street/ Williamstown Road - Princes Freeway/ Western Ring RoadAustralia Tullamarine FreewayMelbourne Mickleham Road - Western Ring Road (southbound direction only) Calder Freeway - Bell StreetAustralia Metropolitan Ring RoadMelbourne Hume Freeway - Edgars Road1 km