MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — More diverging diamond interchanges are coming to Interstate 95 in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast.
The first of these configurations opened in Palm Beach County on Monday at I-95 and Glades Road in Boca Raton.
The Department of Transportation said the design has been shown to improve safety and throughput at interchanges.
A bird's eye view of the diverging diamond interchange (DDI) can look confusing.
"I've heard mixed worries from people that some prefer it, and some are totally confused by it," driver Christie Walters.
Walters drives up and down I-95 on most days for work. WPTV spoke to her in Martin County off Kanner Highway.
"I definitely look for the interchanges that are easier to get on and off and have the longer merge lanes," Walters said.
Two diverging diamond interchanges are planned on the Treasure Coast: I-95 at Kanner Highway in Martin County and I-95 at Gatlin Boulevard in St. Lucie County.
The design's biggest appeal is eliminating left turns.
So, what makes an interchange location a good fit for a diverging diamond design?
FDOT said the criteria include the following:
- Heavy volume of left turns on and off of highway ramps
- Safety concerns related to the left turns at the interchange intersection
- Need for widening the roadway
Data from the Federal Highway Administration found that a year after the construction of the first DDI in Springfield, Missouri, left turn crashes were eliminated completely and the number crashes in total was reduced by 46%.
Christian Mathrin, who lives in West Palm Beach but works on the Treasure Coast, said he supports improving traffic but is skeptical about how drivers new to the area would handle the change.
"Even with the roundabouts, there's a lot of people who don't know how to use a roundabout properly, so all these new differences, even though its meant to make things better, it’s still going to create some chaos," Mathrin said.
Four other DDIs are planned in Palm Beach County for I-95 at Hypoluxo Road, Lantana Road, Tenth Avenue and 45th Street.
These constructed interchanges also include simpler crosswalks for pedestrians, crossing fewer lanes at a time.
Click here to learn more about DDI projects that are open to traffic, currently under construction or being planned in Florida.