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FDOT addresses concerns over major road project on Glades Road in Boca Raton

Diverging diamond interchange will be constructed at Glades Road and Interstate 95
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Posted at 3:10 PM, Aug 24, 2020
and last updated 2020-08-24 18:35:29-04

BOCA RATON, Fla. — Major changes are coming soon to a busy Boca Raton road.

A new diverging diamond interchange will be constructed at Glades Road and Interstate 95.

The interchange is part of the express lanes being built on I-95.

Back in March, the city leaders in Boca Raton told the Florida Department of Transportation they had some safety concerns with the new design. On Monday, FDOT addressed those issues.

FDOT said the new diverging diamond interchange will help traffic flow. The idea of the interchange is cars will cross over to the left side if the road on the I-95 ramp.

"Its is a dramatically different way of handling the traffic here," said city councilman Andy Thomson.

Thomson said the city had concerns over people understanding the new movements, and pedestrians weaving in and out of traffic.

On Monday, FDOT in presented an updated look at the diverging diamond interchange, saying they've added more signage to alert drivers, and have made the bicycle and pedestrian lane larger.

"Typically I would use Powerline coming from Delray to avoid that area," said Ali Kaufman, who just started a new online learning program.

Kaufman said parents will commute from all over, and creating a better traffic flow will help the,

"Anything we can do to support making it faster and easier for our families to find us is always going to be great," said Kaufman.

FDOT said the diverging diamond interchange is expected to reduce the number of traffic accidents in the area by 9%.

"The DDI has been working in a few others places over the years," Kaufman said.

FDOT said they need final approval on changes made to the diverging diamond interchange and they expect to start construction at the beginning of next year.