Meandering and confusing highway interchanges are not a new sight in China. However, one particular interchange takes the cake: The Qianchun interchange in the mountainous province of Guizhou. The massive interchange looks like a roller coaster made for the giants.No wonder it took eight years to complete.
The interchange has 18 different ramps, in eight directions, and balances five different layers of traffic with the highest layer as high as 37 meters. The network connects the city, the airport, and an expressway and was built to make traffic flow better for Chongqing’s 8 million residents.
The complex mesh of an interchange is no less than a motorist’s nightmare and can cause GPS systems to go berserk. However, officials have repeatedly iterated that the directions and exits on the interchange are clearly marked and that it is easy to turn around if one makes a mistake.
Intimidating as it may be, the interchange is, nevertheless, an architectural marvel.