Road improvements near my home in Vienna, Virginia, added a ridiculously long right-turn lane. That got me asking the question: What’s the world’s longest right-turn lane? Or at least the longest in the United States.
After a Google search gave poor results, I decided this was a great question for AI chatbots to answer. After all, these artificial intelligence tools are supposed to be able to scour massive databases to come up with simple answers to queries.
The right-turn lane from eastbound Leesburg Pike between Baron Cameron Avenue and Delta Glen Court in Reston and Vienna, Va., is 0.6 miles long, according to Google Maps.
To find the world’s longest right-turn lane, I first tried Microsoft Bing Copilot, which uses OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
Unfortunately my queries produced conflicting answers from Bing Copilot.
“The title of the world’s longest right turn lane goes to Interstate 285 (I-285) in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Specifically, it’s the right turn lane from westbound I-285 onto northbound Interstate 75 (I-75),” Bing Copilot said. “This seemingly endless right turn lane stretches for an impressive 2.4 miles (3.9 kilometers)!”
That doesn’t sound like a turn lane. It’s more like a highway lane that just ends and tells drivers to merge left or take the exit. That could make the turn-lane distinction hard to quantify.
However, in a follow-up query, Bing Copilot had a different answer for the same location.
“The right turn lane from westbound Interstate 285 (I-285) onto northbound Interstate 75 (I-75) in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, is approximately 0.8 miles (1.3 kilometers) in length. This lengthy turn lane was part of the I-285/Peachtree Boulevard Interchange Improvements project. The project aimed to enhance traffic flow, reduce bottlenecks, and improve operational efficiency for drivers making this critical right turn,” Bing Copilot said.
So it’s either 0.8 miles or 2.4 miles long. Come on, Microsoft, choose a lane!
Next, I went to Microsoft’s source, ChatGPT. But it gave a wordy nonanswer:
Determining the absolute longest right turn lane in the world would be challenging, as it would require detailed research and measurement of various roadways worldwide. However, some cities, particularly those with extensive road networks and high traffic volume, may have exceptionally long right turn lanes.Then, I asked Google Bard to tell me the world’s longest right-turn lane. It said lack of records on the subject would make it difficult to get a correct answer.
For example, cities like Los Angeles, California, or Houston, Texas, known for their sprawling urban landscapes and extensive highway systems, might have notably long right turn lanes in certain locations. However, without specific data or studies on the exact length of each right turn lane globally, it's difficult to definitively identify the single longest one.
In such cases, road authorities or transportation departments in respective regions might have records or data on the longest right turn lanes within their jurisdictions.
“That being said, there are discussions online about a long right turn lane near Ikea in Taastrup, Denmark, clocking in at around 900 meters (3,000 feet),” Bard said. That turn lane is about 0.57 miles long.
Bard said its source was a Reddit discussion thread titled “My town has an extremely long turn lane” on r/mildlyinteresting.
I then asked Bard for the longest right-turn lane in the U.S., but it didn’t have an answer.
Finally, I asked AI Chat from DeepAI to tell me the longest right-turn lane in the U.S.
“The longest right turn lane in the United States is located in Houston, Texas. It is approximately 2.6 miles long and stretches along the West Loop Southbound (Interstate 610) exit to Woodway Drive,” AI Chat said.
AI Chat said it got the information from a Houston Chronicle article titled “Houston’s longest right turn lane gets a facelift.”
So, there you have it, no definitive answer on the longest right-hand turn lane. Thanks for nothing, AI.
Photo: Google map of Leesburg Pike in Vienna, Va.
