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[KBCraig]

For any of you folks who drive around Springfield regularly, what's your opinion of the "diverging diamond interchange" at I-44 and MO-13?

For those who don't know what this is, here's an information page:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diverging_diamond_interchange

Springfield has the first interchange of this type in North America.

[mbrownx4]

I've driven it a couple of times since it is my way down to Branson.  A little confusing, but not too bad.  Did they just run out of ideas?

[History Buff]

Aren't they planning or building another one, as well?  I'm not sure if that's part of the Jame's River and 65 or not, but I did hear there was another DD in the works somewhere.

[Swoosh]

Columbia is getting one at Stadium and I-70.  I think it's pretty silly looking myself.

[Junior]

Looks confusing to an old dude like me. Keep it simple, I say.

[saladdays]

There is also now one at James River Freeway and National Ave. 

[SDC#1fan]

If you must know i live withn a few blocks of the DD at 44 and kansas expy and all i can say is thank god they put it in! The trafic there use to be horrible but now it is much better. For new people it is a little confusing but other than the ocasonal old person stopped and confused i havent seen anyone with to much of a problem with it. There is a new one at national and james river and the intersection of chestnut and 65 is suposed to get one also. The design came from some europen country and the odd thing is i read they are slowly starting to take theres out? Wonder if there is some unseen problem?

[oldsdcer]

I think I read that the were building one on business 65 at the south end of Branson Landing with the new lake bridge.

[Junior]

They are building a roundabout on the other side of Taneycomo at the new bridge. It will be similar to the one downtown just across the Roark Creek Bridge at Skaggs Hospital.

[sanddunerider]

I was at the "south" end of new bridge 2 weeks ago..  I think the roundabout will work well in  that location.....Anxious to see the one at Jame river & 65 done...

[Nate65807]

The Diverging Diamond Interchanges work great. Like traffic circles/roundabouts, (see hwy 248 on your way to Branson Landing...you'll know it when you see it) DD Interchanges are a new concept for Missouri, so they will confuse some people more than others. Both of these concepts help out with the traffic flow quite a bit.

Once Concern: The DD Interchange during a power outage or "flashing red" traffic light=mass chaos! I've seen it happen at National/James River Freeway...not a pretty sight.

[Ozark Outlaw]

I always get stuck in the roundabouts!

The diamond intersection definitely looks intriguing. I wonder though, are they really that much more efficient? I mean if it's my understanding you still have to wait through traffic lights.

[Nate65807]

I always get stuck in the roundabouts!

The diamond intersection definitely looks intriguing. I wonder though, are they really that much more efficient? I mean if it's my understanding you still have to wait through traffic lights.

Yes, you might still have to wait for traffic lights. But it is a safer, more efficient design. In the example below (I-44 and Kansas), you see that right turners entering the interstate do not pass through a traffic light and yield to left-turning traffic (just like they do with a standard diamond interchange)

If you do need to make a left turn to get on the Interstate, you must pass through one traffic signal (instead of two) and proceed through the interchange and use the "left turn bay" just before you hit the second signal. The benefit of this design is that left turners do not have to stop at the second signal, as there is no oncoming traffic to deal with, which is a safety issue. The only traffic that must pass through both signals are the cars that are going straight through the whole thing to Bolivar or Springfield.

People turning left exiting the Interstate will yield instead of stopping, as they do with a standard interchange. This design is better here too, as left turners do not have to cross two lanes of traffic to get on the road, as they would in a Standard Diamond, another safety issue. Right turners exiting the Interstate might stop at a signal, but it is as easy to make a right turn with a DD Interchange as it would be with a standard one.

DD Interchange


Standard Interchange

The biggest downside is the learning curve, getting people used to this new design. Once we get past that, it is awesome.

[sanddunerider]

wow!

[KBCraig]

The biggest downside is the learning curve, getting people used to this new design.

It could be worse!