Ontario’s first diverging diamond interchange opens in Niagara

The first diverging diamond interchange in Ontario opened to drivers Monday in the Niagara region. The Ministry of Transportation says the interchange at Glendale Ave. and the Queen Elizabeth Way in Niagara is scheduled to open at 5 a.m. Monday following a weekend of major detours. “The diverging diamond interchange will allow for performance improvement by reducing vehicle conflict points along with allowing unrestricted turning movements,” according to the engineering firm Morrison Hershfield and Brennan Paving and Construction Ltd. It accomplishes this by reconfiguring traffic lanes to allow for direct access to all four directional highway ramps. This means drivers will no longer have to make any left-hand turns when entering or exiting the highway. Instead, motorists will use interconnected crossover lanes controlled by traffic lights and signs.