Big Change Coming To A Dolphin Expressway Interchange Monday
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Big changes are coming to two interchanges on the Dolphin Expressway.
"It's called the Diverging Diamond Interchange or DDI for short. It's a new traffic interchange that will have you briefly driving on the opposite side of the road as you pass under the State Road 836 on NW 27th Avenue and NW 57th Avenue," said Miami-Dade Expressway Authority director of engineering Juan Toledo.
All exits and entrances to and from the Dolphin at 27th Avenue will be closed over the weekend for anticipated 5 a.m. opening on Monday and drivers should be prepared. There will be a police presence during the opening to help drivers get used to the new traffic pattern.
The DDI is a new design that is expected to improve the flow of traffic entering and exiting SR 836.
"Eliminating the left turn signal fast, crossing over to the opposite side of traffic, you now have a direct left-hand turn at expressway and out of the expressway without having to add a signal phase," said Toledo.
DDIs may be new to South Florida, but they achieved positive results in places like Atlanta's metro area. If you are scratching your head at what this new traffic pattern is going to look like, MDX says not to worry.
"Follow the normal traffic laws that you would follow every day, we're going to have additional pavement markings, we're going to have additional signage, we're going to have electric boards up before you approach the interchange to let you know there is a traffic pattern shift," said Toledo.
The DDI at Northwest 57th Avenue is expected to open by the end of the year.
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