I-295 Triple Merge

Driving Interstate 295 through the city is a maze of stupefying entrance and exit ramps. The best ramp onto 295 is the northbound ramp from Route 1 near the new Mercy Hospital. The first test for drivers is to merge with traffic getting off Exit 5 (Congress St.), which involves looking over your shoulder while maneuvering a sharp corner, maintaining speed, and trying to distinguish which traffic is actually exiting. Once accomplished, drivers must then merge with cars entering from Congress Street, who may or may not yield. Think that's enough? Not yet. Now it's actually time to merge onto 295. Add in some rush-hour traffic and stubborn Maine drivers and you've got yourself a true driving test.

But, at least this triple merge gives drivers a little room for error. A close runner-up is the battle of 6A and 6B. How civil engineers thought a 400-foot ramp was sufficient for all the traffic coming in and out of the city is incomprehensible. Near misses are a daily occurrence with panic-stricken drivers praying someone will let them on (or off) before getting clocked. Those unlucky souls forced to stop at the top of the on-ramp better have some fire under their feet to survive such award-winning ramps.