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No More Cloverleafs?? Diverging Diamonds Instead?
Posted: Fri, 23 May 2014 15:20:36
by Greybeard
Dozens of Viera residents told state transportation officials what they don't like about a plan to build an Interstate 95 interchange at Viera Boulevard. And their dislikes were many.
The residents were among more than 300 people who packed a Florida Department of Transportation hearing in Viera on the plan, which also includes widening the two-lane sections Viera Boulevard to four lanes.

Rest of the story here:
http://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/ ... e/9356683/
Re: No More Cloverleafs?? Diverging Diamonds Instead?
Posted: Fri, 23 May 2014 15:33:45
by darkstar3d
Was odd the first few times I went through in Atlanta but they greatly reduced the traffic so it was cool.
Retired Army Paratrooper
Re: No More Cloverleafs?? Diverging Diamonds Instead?
Posted: Fri, 23 May 2014 15:42:25
by ShotgunBlast
For anyone not familiar with the concept (I wasn't).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_L-8z7v1VEc
I don't like having a stretch of road where cars going the opposite direction are to the right of you. Even though it's only for a bridge and traffic is clearly divided, I think breaking from the consistency of the normal flow of traffic can lead to confusion. It also looks like the people who make stop signs and traffic lights support this concept.
Re: No More Cloverleafs?? Diverging Diamonds Instead?
Posted: Fri, 23 May 2014 16:43:43
by FiremanBob
The interchange at Zion Crossroad is much improved by the DDD. The big advantage over cloverleafs is they take up much less real estate and are cheaper to build. But they do require a series of traffic lights, so if you need a free traffic flow they are way suboptimal.
Re: No More Cloverleafs?? Diverging Diamonds Instead?
Posted: Fri, 23 May 2014 17:06:48
by SHMIV
They did one of these in Gordonsville, over by Walmart and the Walmart DC.
I do not like it.
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Re: No More Cloverleafs?? Diverging Diamonds Instead?
Posted: Fri, 23 May 2014 17:08:25
by MarcSpaz
Regardless of the gains in traffic flow, you are taking an area that normally has no cross traffic, and are now making two very hazardous intersections. According to SafeRoads.Org, The National Safety Counsel and the Federal Highway Administration statistics, on any given year, 40% to 50% of all crashes nationwide are at an intersection or crossroad and with the exception of a fraction of 1%, they are all driver error.
Why would we intentionally make more intersections and increase the risk of drivers crashing into each other? That makes no sense. And... how much better do you think traffic will flow when you take an area that had little or no car accidents and now introduce a high risk of crashes. You think having the road in 3 or even all 4 directions shutdown for a crash at the same time is going to help traffic?
Re: No More Cloverleafs?? Diverging Diamonds Instead?
Posted: Fri, 23 May 2014 18:22:10
by OakRidgeStars
Exactly how much LSD would I have to take to understand this?

Re: No More Cloverleafs?? Diverging Diamonds Instead?
Posted: Fri, 23 May 2014 19:48:56
by ProShooter
FiremanBob wrote:The interchange at Zion Crossroad is much improved by the DDD. The big advantage over cloverleafs is they take up much less real estate and are cheaper to build. But they do require a series of traffic lights, so if you need a free traffic flow they are way suboptimal.
I was on that a few weeks ago. Its a nightmare, and just how the hell much traffic is going through Zion Crossroads to need that?
Re: No More Cloverleafs?? Diverging Diamonds Instead?
Posted: Fri, 23 May 2014 20:47:51
by FiremanBob
It's a lot of traffic, especially during commuting hours and daytime on weekends. If you were there before they opened both lanes each way, it was terrible. Now it's much better. Before, you had cars backed up to make left turns getting on and off 64. There is actually less cross traffic now - the roads cross, but you can only go straight ahead, no turns at the lights. I think you'll find in the stats that the majority of crashes at intersections are due to people turning.
Nothing is as smooth as cloverleafs, but they take up too much valuable real estate in developed areas.
Re: No More Cloverleafs?? Diverging Diamonds Instead?
Posted: Fri, 23 May 2014 22:26:32
by SHMIV
As a truck driver, I love a clover leaf. They're great for turning around.
If I took a wrong exit and found this, I could lose a half hour or more getting turned around.
Also, I loathe roundabouts, while we're on the topic of road patterns that I dislike.
[ Post made via Mobile Device ] 
Re: No More Cloverleafs?? Diverging Diamonds Instead?
Posted: Fri, 23 May 2014 23:24:04
by Palladin
I don't know, guys, I think it'll grow on you. It works pretty good for me, the Zion interchange eliminated a light on each side of the bridge. I've seen folks die right in front of me there from red light t-bones. Now, cross traffic is quartering - not 90°, so much easier to see oncoming problems because of a better field of view. And interstate Ueys are just that - ueys instead of a mile or more of clovers.
Re: No More Cloverleafs?? Diverging Diamonds Instead?
Posted: Sat, 24 May 2014 08:30:17
by dorminWS
Seems to me that double lanes of traffic crossing each other in that x-pattern is going to cause some almost-head-on collisions at the intersection and some head-ons because people who instinctually keep right go the wrong way down the one-way road at the intersection. I can about guarantee you I'd screw it up at that maze; even in broad daylight. Older folks will have a hard time changing a lifetime of driving reactions, I'm thinking. I think they must be trying to kill off us baby boomers because THEY'VE P!SSED AWAY OUR SOCIAL SECURITY AND CAN'T PAY US.

Re: No More Cloverleafs?? Diverging Diamonds Instead?
Posted: Sat, 24 May 2014 20:29:51
by ShotgunBlast
dorminWS wrote:Seems to me that double lanes of traffic crossing each other in that x-pattern is going to cause some almost-head-on collisions at the intersection and some head-ons because people who instinctually keep right go the wrong way down the one-way road at the intersection. I can about guarantee you I'd screw it up at that maze; even in broad daylight. Older folks will have a hard time changing a lifetime of driving reactions, I'm thinking. I think they must be trying to kill off us baby boomers because THEY'VE P!SSED AWAY OUR SOCIAL SECURITY AND CAN'T PAY US.

This is obviously one of those public/private partnerships you hear about, but in this case the private entities are those companies that used to offer pensions and some bean counter checks a report each month waiting for the last of those employees to die off. I think they're betting on this helping to accelerate the process. I swear someone throws a fit each month when they send out my grandmother's check since she's been retired for 20 years.

Re: No More Cloverleafs?? Diverging Diamonds Instead?
Posted: Sun, 25 May 2014 08:10:52
by Swampman
These things look too stupid for words. Haven't been through one yet, and hope to avoid it. The roundabouts are another story. I grew up driving in traffic circles in NJ, so I know how to drive in them. Most idiots around here don't get the concept. They stop and wait until they see absolutely zero cars. It doesn't take long for me to get pissed off and lay on the horn.
Can you imagine these diamond things at all the intersections on Route 28 in Chantilly? The cloverleafs are a much better idea. Only thing to worry about with a cloverleaf is people who don't get the concept of merging at speed.
The roads would be a much better place if it was possible to ban stupid people from driving!

Re: No More Cloverleafs?? Diverging Diamonds Instead?
Posted: Sun, 25 May 2014 08:42:26
by Palladin
I wonder how y'all old timers have managed to navigate detours all these years...
I think these will just weed out the texters and lipstick ladies with fenderbenders before they actually get out into the intersection where they could hurt somebody.