Perhaps someone knows of an intersection in Wake County that’s as tangled as the zany jumble where multi-lane Western Boulevard and Hillsborough Street come together – or split, depending on whether you’re heading west or east – joined by Jones Franklin Road. It’s a legacy of old highway corridors through West Raleigh and more recent development. Even with some recent realignments involving Buck Jones Road, which also rises from this maze, there’s a sense that the intersection ought to be full of bumper cars from the nearby State Fairgrounds.

Now, though, the state DOT is getting serious about unraveling the kinks. The most radical change will involve demolishing the bridge that carries eastbound Hillsborough over Western. The bridge’s curving ramps will give way to a surface-level, right-angle intersection. And with less real estate being taken up, there will be more room for sidewalks and stores.

The area might lose some of its familiar quirkiness, but it will be a lot easier on the nerves. Want zany fun? Go to the Fair.