The I-435 and Route 210 interchange, serving nearly 100,000 vehicles per day in Kansas City and Randolph, was experiencing a high rate of rear-end crashes due to congestion and existing lane configurations, snarling traffic (for both commuters and freight). The queuing problem on the southbound I-435 off-ramp was a contributing factor for many of these crashes. In order to combat this, Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) replaced the I-435 bridges over Route 210, giving the department the opportunity to remove the bottleneck that narrowed I-435 from three to two lanes and improve traffic flow on these two corridors. MoDOT officials accomplished this through a diverging diamond interchange, which creates a separation between the signalized crossover intersection and off-ramp and helps traffic signal operations be more effective in managing traffic flow. This means drivers experience reduced travel times and a much safer commute. The $24 million solution also allows for increased development in the region—or economic growth—due to improved efficiency and capacity.
America's Transportation Awards 