Multi-story Crossroad Design for Urban Traffic Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current urban road construction methods, particularly at crossroads, face challenges such as traffic congestion, inefficient land use, difficulty in accommodating various modes of transport, and environmental issues like increased emissions and lack of attention to pedestrian and cycling needs, with traditional designs like the American cloverleaf being inefficient and land-wasting.
Innovation Solution
A multi-story crossroad design featuring elevated roads and tunnels, with segregated layers for vehicle traffic, bicycles, and pedestrian areas, allowing for unimpeded traffic flow without traffic lights, and incorporating extensive parking and charging facilities for electric vehicles, while maximizing land use and minimizing land occupation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional flat road crossroad design is used, then construction is simple and cost is low, but land use efficiency is low and traffic capacity is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the traditional two-dimensional flat road crossroad into a three-dimensional multi-story structure by building elevated roads above the intersection and tunnels below it. This vertical expansion creates multiple traffic layers that can operate simultaneously, dramatically increasing traffic capacity while efficiently utilizing limited urban land space.
2Productivity
If American cloverleaf crossroad is used, then vehicle traffic flow is improved, but land is wasted and pedestrian needs are ignored
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates the land-wasting circular ramps of cloverleaf intersections by verticalizing traffic flow through elevated roads and tunnels. This concentrates vehicle movement into specific three-dimensional corridors, freeing up ground space for pedestrians and green spaces while maintaining efficient vehicle circulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments different traffic modes (vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists) into separate vertical layers. Vehicle traffic is confined to elevated roads and tunnels, while the ground level is dedicated to pedestrians and green spaces, eliminating conflicts and optimizing land use for each function.
3Productivity
If multi-story crossroad with elevated road and tunnel is built, then land use is optimized and traffic flow is enhanced, but construction complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into a single integrated structure: the elevated road provides vehicle traffic, the tunnel handles through-traffic, the ground level serves pedestrians and green spaces, and the space between elevated road and ground level accommodates buildings and facilities. This merging maximizes land use efficiency while creating a cohesive urban transportation system.
Data Source
AI summary
A multifunctional and multi-story crossroad for intensive land use relates to urban road construction engineering and solves technical problems of urban traffic jams through space division and streamlined design, without occupying the land outside the road. It achieves: operating smoothly without red lights, large vehicle-free intersection space on the ground, large parking areas, long “side of the road” border between the parking area and roads, bicycle exclusive system. Technical elements include: learning from building design, multi-story crossroad, “Turning Right and Looping Back technique”, “exclusive bikeway interlayer”, “adding a lane”, and “large steps above ramp of a tunnel.” It is a combination of a smoothly flowing crossroad technique, viaduct and the tunnel. The main purposes are: for new construction and renovation of crossroad in congested cities, and development of city fast lanes, elevated roads and tunnels.