Ontario drivers may soon find themselves on the province's first-ever diverging diamond interchange that is set to open this fall.
The new interchange is located at Glendale Avenue and the Queen Elizabeth Highway (QEW) in Niagara.
According to the Ministry of Transportation, the interchange is being installed to reduce gridlock and improve traffic flow for motorists getting on and off the QEW at Glendale Avenue.
It accomplishes this by reconfiguring traffic lanes to allow for direct access to all four directional highway ramps.
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The diverging diamond interchange eliminates the need for motorists to make any left-hand turns when entering or exiting the highway by using a series of interconnected crossover lanes controlled by traffic lights and highway signage.
This image shows how traffic will flow in Niagara's diverging diamond interchange. (Ministry of Transportation)"A diverging diamond interchange provides easier access and flow for traffic, cyclists, and pedestrians,” the ministry said in a statement to CTV News Toronto. "This interchange design will reduce the number of vehicle conflict points and allow unrestricted access to the QEW."
While diverging diamond interchanges will be new to drivers in Ontario, they have been used in other places, like the U.S., for years. There are currently two diverging diamond interchanges in Canada, one in Calgary and the other in Regina.
The Ontario government held an in-person public education session to learn "how to navigate" the new interchange.
At that time, an animated drive-through video was released showing how Ontario's interchange works.
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