What are the pros and cons of these traffic intersection situations? See details.
Asked by
JLeslie (
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March 8th, 2023
In Sarasota, University Parkway, which travels, east west, has the lanes cross to the other side of the road where the entrance and exits are for the interstate. Temporarily you are driving on the left. If I am traveling east and need to get onto northbound I75, since my lanes cross over to the left side of the road, then to get on to the highway I don’t have to make a left across the westbound lanes. The same is true in the other direction. The interchange is massive, and a little confusing at first, but I am used to it now. Here is a video. What do you think? The video is old, the roadwork is already completed, and this shows what it is like to travel on these roads now.
Another intersection question I have is regarding traffic light sequences. Most large intersections I encounter have the left turning lanes go first with an arrow light, but once in a while I encounter an intersection that does the left arrow at the end, which do you think is better? Does it matter if the left lanes can also turn on the round green vs only having an arrow for the left turning lanes?
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8 Answers
There are a few of those around here, the video thing. They work well, not confusing at all.
The diverging diamond is meant to reduce the number of times that traffic is in contention for the same space. This reduces crashes and wait times. The thing is it’s VERY counterintuitive looking when i see them in videos. I don’t have any of these near me, so no first hand experience.
They’re a relative recent development. I think it’s the sort of thing that once you got used to it, it would probably rock. There are many good explanation videos online that will do it more justice than I do. Search youtube for diverging diamond.
@Acrylic How many lanes are these interchanges where you live? Part of what felt overwhelming at first was making sure I was in the correct lane, because I think there are six (maybe seven) lanes each direction between right turning, straight and left, and then add on the road is curving. All six lanes are crossing traffic rather than just two left turning lanes in a typical pattern. The shopping area just east of the highway is massive, so the traffic is crossing all over the place.
I don’t have an opinion on whether I think it is better or not, I am just getting used to it now.
@JLeslie I drive for a living, 30 years or so. Anyway, there are two of these around here I know about, both 3 lanes each directions through. If they’re well signed, you shouldn’t have a problem.
I don’t have a problem. Just had to get used to what lane to be in. There are intersections just beyond the interchange that I make turns left and right, depending on where I am going, so I don’t just go through; I go through, making sure I am in the correct lane not to get onto the interstate, and then also have to be in the correct lane to make my turn. It just all happens to be very short distances and very fast at this location. I grew up in the DC suburbs, I can handle a lot of traffic and merging. Although, as I get older I like easier driving better. Luckily, in Florida, we generally have flat straight roads so you can see way far ahead.
What about the other question regarding the left turn signal? Do you like it better at the beginning of the sequence or the end?
We have them all over Atlanta – the diverging diamonds. They’re a little tricky, but at least here, very well signed, and theoretically they make traffic flow much more smoothly because of avoid left turn entrances to the highway.
We’ve had them here since maybe 2017–2018, people are used to them.
It is obvious how it works when you drive through it by just following signs. I looked at that video but my eyes crossed. ;)
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