After years of planning, the much-anticipated “diverging diamond” interchange by Glades Road and Interstate 95 is finally open to drivers.
The first of its kind in Palm Beach County, the unconventional yet increasingly popular new formation is expected to improve the flow of traffic and reduce crashes by a third, state planners say. The weaving, diamond-shaped pattern briefly sends drivers to the opposite side of the road to allow for safer and easier left-hand turns to and from I-95.
Alan Greenstein, a Boca Raton resident who was walking over the Glades Road bridge on Monday afternoon, said he was impressed by the new design.
“I think it’s phenomenal. The idea is great. “It’s kind of amazing to see the progression and how it’s working,” Greenstein said. “I think it’s already really helped, because I was looking at the traffic on Glades [Road] heading west and it seems like it’s lighter.”
Construction crews spent the past weekend finalizing work on the project. The new interchange was scheduled to open at 6 a.m. Monday, but that was pushed back to 3:30 p.m. after overnight rain caused delays in finishing the striping of the road.
The diamond interchange sends westbound drivers over to the left side of the road while going over the I-95 bridge. They have the choice to get on I-95 north or south, or stay on Glades Road. The lane then switches back to the right side of the road.
Because people may think they’re driving on the “wrong” side of the road, state planners advise approaching the interchange slowly and following the overhead signage as they initially navigate the road. Motorists should also avoid relying on GPS apps such as Google Maps or Waze when they first drive on the interchange since it may take time for these to adjust to the new traffic pattern.
Former Boca Raton city councilman Andy Thomson, who served on the board while the project was in development, said one of his initial concerns was the potential for drivers to be confused by the new configuration. But after driving through the diverging diamond numerous times on Monday afternoon, Thomson said many of his concerns were alleviated.
“I’m happy to report that the driving experience was smooth as silk,” Thomson said. “There is ample signage, and the angles of the diverging diamond are such that is seems clear enough which direction drivers should proceed. But ultimately time will tell.”
Diverging diamond interchanges have become a favorite new tool for project engineers. The first diamond interchange in the United States opened in 2009 in Springfield, Mo. Since then, more than 100 have been created across the country and many more are being planned, according to the Institute for Transportation Research and Education.
Farther north in Palm Beach County, the Florida Department of Transportation is considering transforming the Lantana Road exit at I-95 into a diverging diamond interchange.
The crossings made their first South Florida appearance in Miami-Dade County, opening along the expressway authority’s Dolphin Expressway at Northwest 27th Avenue, as well as at Northwest 57th Avenue, on the southern edge of Miami International Airport.
