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Milwaukee area freeways

Started by triplemultiplex, February 22, 2011, 03:58:28 PM

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OCGuy81

Milwaukee area is getting its first Diverging Diamond Interchange.  It'll become one of five in the state when it opens on Saturday.

FOX POINT, Wis. — The diverging diamond interchange at the intersection of I-43 and Brown Deer Road is expected to open this Saturday.

There are four other diverging diamond interchanges open in the state: Two in Janesville, one in Appleton and one in Beloit.

The interchange off Brown Deer Road marks the first in southeastern Wisconsin.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) said the diverging diamond interchange is designed to "intuitively guide motorists through the pathways."

The interchange has been under construction for over a year, resulting in countless closures. However, WisDOT said it is excited to open the interchange Saturday, barring the weather.

"It's a great way to efficiently move traffic through," Steve Hoff said. "So certainly, better access to businesses and connecting both sides from River Hills over to Bayside."

Hoff, a WisDOT project manager, said this intersection design has proven to improve safety by eliminating the need to turn into oncoming traffic. It also improves the flow of cars by making it easier for drivers to turn left onto I-43.

This type of interchange reduces the number of ways vehicles can crash by almost half, according to WisDOT data.

Hoff said the diverging diamond interchange can look intimidating, since it briefly shifts traffic on Brown Deer Road to the opposite side of the roadway, but the lights and signs should guide drivers with ease.

"With this one, drivers will approach the intersection and briefly drive on the other side of the roadway," Hoff said. "What that does is allows for a free-flow left turn onto the freeway, which is a quicker move than what would typically happen in a normal intersection — you have a left turn arrow."

WisDOT said improved safety is always its the goal, especially in high-traffic areas — like the area off Brown Deer Road.

"By having that free-flow, you no longer have traffic coming towards you, so it will be a safer movement that way," Hoff said.

https://spectrumnews1.com/wi/milwaukee/news/2024/11/19/diverging-diamond-intersection-expected-to-open-this-weekend#:~:text=one%20in%20Beloit.-,The%20interchange%20off%20Brown%20Deer%20Road%20marks%20the%20first%20in,guide%20motorists%20through%20the%20pathways.%E2%80%9D



The Ghostbuster

Where else in the Milwaukee area could diverging-diamond interchanges go? A few possibilities I can think of is: Interstate 41 at STH 175/W. Appleton Ave.; Interstate 41/43/894 at W. National Ave. (despite the fact that both Appleton and National travel through the interchanges diagonally); and Interstate 94 at S. Moorland Rd.

OCGuy81

Those are all solid choices for this type of interchange.

I'd also throw in I-41/94 at Ryan Road or even Rawson.

Icewolf

Quote from: The Ghostbuster on November 21, 2024, 01:37:48 PMWhere else in the Milwaukee area could diverging-diamond interchanges go? A few possibilities I can think of is: Interstate 41 at STH 175/W. Appleton Ave.; Interstate 41/43/894 at W. National Ave. (despite the fact that both Appleton and National travel through the interchanges diagonally); and Interstate 94 at S. Moorland Rd.

IIRC, plans for the Stadium Interchange (I-94/WI 175) are for the core interchange to be a DDI

OCGuy81

Quote from: Icewolf on November 21, 2024, 03:16:35 PM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on November 21, 2024, 01:37:48 PMWhere else in the Milwaukee area could diverging-diamond interchanges go? A few possibilities I can think of is: Interstate 41 at STH 175/W. Appleton Ave.; Interstate 41/43/894 at W. National Ave. (despite the fact that both Appleton and National travel through the interchanges diagonally); and Interstate 94 at S. Moorland Rd.

IIRC, plans for the Stadium Interchange (I-94/WI 175) are for the core interchange to be a DDI

I believe you're right.  It's part of the eventual I-94 expansion out to the Zoo Interchange.

mgk920

#555
Right, current plans are for the Stadium Interchange to be re-engineered as a DDI.

WisDOT also has FIRM plans for three of the I-41 street interchanges here in the Appleton area to be reconfigured into DDIs as part of the under construction I-41 Appleton to De Pere six laning project - Northland Ave (WI 15/Outagamie County 'OO'/old US 41), Richmond Street (WI 47) and Ballard Rd (Outagamie County 'E').

Mike

mgk920

Redoing I-43/Brown Deer Rd (WI 100) as a DDI was a 'no brainer' in my book.  That previous cloverleaf was as '1950s-obsolete' as they come.

Mike

The Ghostbuster

The old Brown Deer Rd. interchange looked very weird. Wouldn't a standard diamond interchange have sufficed at this location?

hobsini2

Quote from: The Ghostbuster on November 22, 2024, 11:27:19 AMThe old Brown Deer Rd. interchange looked very weird. Wouldn't a standard diamond interchange have sufficed at this location?
You got to remember the plan for Hwy 100 was (and it is in someways) to be a bypass before the 894 existed. A diamond with the projected traffic at the time was not going to be enough.
I knew it. I'm surrounded by assholes. Keep firing, assholes! - Dark Helmet (Spaceballs)

mgk920

Quote from: hobsini2 on November 22, 2024, 12:13:46 PM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on November 22, 2024, 11:27:19 AMThe old Brown Deer Rd. interchange looked very weird. Wouldn't a standard diamond interchange have sufficed at this location?
You got to remember the plan for Hwy 100 was (and it is in someways) to be a bypass before the 894 existed. A diamond with the projected traffic at the time was not going to be enough.


Also, when that previous cloverleaf interchange was engineered, I-43 was an nobody's radar screen.  It was Port Washington Rd (US 141), a major street/surface highway.

Mike



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