I-70 Exit 26 Grand Junction Diverging Diamond Interchange

Project Overview

The Colorado Department of Transportation and the City of Grand Junction are partnering on projects to improve safety and traffic flow on I-70 at Exit 26 and 22 Road at US 6 in west Grand Junction. CDOT and the City are working together on the timing of the improvements, which will accommodate the increasing traffic mobility and safety needs in this growing area.

I-70 Diverging Diamond Interchange, June 2013 through November 2013

The City will design and CDOT will construct a Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) at I-70 Exit 26. A DDI eliminates traditional left-hand turns by crossing lanes and shifting drivers to the left side of the road. This gives drivers direct access to a left-hand ramp to access the interstate without waiting at a traffic signal. The lanes then shift drivers back to the right side.

Diverging Diamond Interchanges can carry much more traffic than conventional diamond interchanges, and the capacity for left-turn movements is twice that of a conventional diamond. Safety has been shown to increase at interchanges and intersections built as diverging diamonds. The amount of crashes is reduced, as are the severity of crashes. The accidents that do occur are at angles that eliminate the dangerous “T-bone” that can happen at a traditional signalized intersection.

The cost of a DDI is much lower as well. The I-70 DDI at is estimated to cost $4 million, whereas other alternatives are between $10 and $15 million. Also, minimal right-of-way acquisition is required for this type of intersection.

City of Grand Junction 22 Road Improvements:

For more information, please click here: http://www.gjcity.org/Engineering.aspx or http://bit.ly/UEiKlp.