Illinois Department of Transportation’s $90 million interchange project on I-88 at Illinois 59 improved safety and traffic flow while encouraging more bike and pedestrian traffic in the Aurora and Naperville suburbs. Used for the first time in the Chicago area and increasingly used across the country, the diverging diamond design directs vehicle traffic onto the opposite side of the road before they can make their turns; it eliminates delays caused by vehicles turning left across traffic and can reduce potential right-angle crashes. The new interchange safely can handle 180,000 vehicles daily, as well as people walking and biking thanks to a new multipurpose path built through the center of the intersection. Planners said the project enhanced connectivity between transit providers, shopping and employment centers.
America's Transportation Awards 