Fuck yeah it is. Do you remember that interchange in the 90s?

I never drove on it in the 90s, but I remember there being jokes/references to it in WaPo all the time. Was it as bad as the tales?

Yes. You know how people sometimes merge suddenly across four lanes of traffic for no reason? Back then, there was a reason.

Got it. I was a kid during its worst period, so I never understood why it was bad, just that it was bad.

Iirc there was a period where it was literally the deadliest chunk of road in the country. Through-traffic, commuters, and randos dumped into the same mess, diving wildly across a gazillion lanes to make exits all over the damn place. Edit: who the hell is leaving reviews for the mixing bowl lol

Thanks! As a kid, I didn't really have any context as to why it was bad, just that adults hated it.

Perfect circlea of doom

It used to be horrible. So much better now, probably nothing more can be done without destroying everything around it.

I spent many an afternoon on the Beltway from Alexandrea headed to the Mixing Bowl being caught in the huge traffic jam.

I’m surprised at the high Google ratings.

You had to have driven on the old Mixing Bowl to appreciate it.

I learned how to drive during rush hour traffic in the summer at the Springfield interchange. I confess I am confused about the high rating. Thought it would be Tanked and all zeros for the reviews. I mean, who upvotes the Springfield mixing bowl?

I learned to drive there too! Nothing quite like Driver’s Ed car, instructor, 2-3 other students in the back seat as you scream across 4 lanes of traffic to make your exit.

My bro, who has been a civil engineer for 20+ years, geeked out in it pretty hard when he visited

See! I told you guys nova had culture…

Haha, my visiting dad two days complained about dri i g through the most complicated interchange. I think I can guess which one now.

Needs an “the insane engineering of the mixing bowl” video.

I call it the clusterfuck cause of my ex from high school and it never went away

1 ⭐️

I will never drive through that thing ever again!

I’m old enough to remember before it and when it was redone.