Highways and interchanges are a defining feature of American life, allowing us to take cross-country road trips with the family or just get to the office each day. From the car, the sheer size and complexity of these interchanges is often lost. But aerial images tell an entirely different story. In this slideshow, photographer Peter Andrew provides a glimpse at U.S. interchanges from a bird’s eye view, a rich representation of how everyday objects can come to life from a different angle. An accompanying essay by renowned author Tom Vanderbilt attempts to understand just what makes interchanges so alluring. Highway 401/Allan Rd. interchange, Toronto, 2008 — I think the 401 was the real catalyst for my fascination with interchanges. When I was a kid I remember flying into Pearson Airport and seeing the traffic flowing over the highway interchanges below me. I couldn’t believe how enormous and elaborate they were. I’m still amazed that they aren’t more celebrated.

Peter Andrew