The Buzz: I-66/U.S. 15 Interchange Opening

Описание: http://www.pwcgov.org/news

A Diverging Diamond Intersection, or DDI, incorporates an alternative way of moving traffic through an intersection, and there's a new one at Interstate 66 and U.S. 15 just outside of Haymarket.

When it opens Saturday morning, the new intersection will eliminate 90-degree left turns that cross into oncoming traffic. The new DDI will shift traffic patterns and allows vehicles to turn left onto the highway without stopping.

Drivers shouldn't be apprehensive of the changes. The road will be heavily marked and there will be plenty of signs, said Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) Spokeswoman Ellen Kamilakis. "What we want residents to know is that this is a much safer design. It seems different, but we don't want people to be fearful of what's happening. We're going to have plenty of signage. It is a 35-mile-an-hour intersection. Just trust that if you're paying attention to your signage, you're not going to have any problems. You're not going to have any options of going the wrong way because of the way that it is designed."

Diagrams and videos showing how traffic will move through the DDI can be found at the VDOT's website.

According to a video produced by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration, DDIs reduce crashes by half. Traffic flowing through the intersection also has fewer delays, fewer stops, reduced stops and shorter traffic signal times compared to traditional diamond interchanges.

"It processes a lot of cars through and flushes out a lot of congestion. It has a lot of safety features to it where your chances of coming in contact with another vehicle are greatly reduced based on the design of the interchange," Kamilakis said.

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