6/18/2012 Update:
Welcome new visitors. Be sure to check out some diverging diamond updates over at my personal blog: The Evil Eyebrow
Topics: Diverging Diamond Interchanges
Websites and Citations:
- Wikipedia Article on Diverging Diamond Interchanges
- Springfield, Missouri Interchange
- Utah Interchange (Pioneer Crossing)
- Versailles, France
- Le Perreux-sur-marne, France
- Seclin, France
- Theme Music: Five Star Fall, Mercurial Girl, Magnatune.com
Geohack links to French Interchanges:
Great episode, Bill.
Hearing all the benefits of diverging diamonds kinds of wish that the SPUI going in near me was a DDI. Since you’d indicated that DDIs were a fairly new concept, I’m wondering if that solution was ever even possible to be considered when the project started its development in 2000.
@James: I doubt it. The DDI is new enough in US transportation circles that back in 2000 it was probably not considered. Gilbert Chlewicki wrote a graduate paper on the DDI that began to see light around ’02 and ’03. If anyone outside of France was thinking about the DDI before then, I’m not aware of it.
I have to say, the SPUI here in Albany has worked out very well. I used to avoid the intersection where they installed it and now, even during “rush hour” traffic flows right through. The cost savings involved in a DDI seems like a major bonus, I hope we see more of these.
@Jeff: SPUIs have their place, just like any other interchange type. It depends on multiple factors. That’s why we do traffic studies ahead of time. Or at least, we’re supposed to.
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