Ontario's first diverging diamond interchange opens. Here's how it works
Ontario's first-ever diverging diamond interchange opens to drivers Monday morning, the Ministry of Transportation confirmed.
The new interchange, located at Glendale Avenue and the Queen Elizabeth Highway (QEW) in Niagara, will open to drivers on the morning of Sept. 26.
According to the Ministry of Transportation, the interchange has been installed to reduce gridlock and improve traffic flow for motorists getting on and off the QEW at Glendale Avenue.
It is supposed to accomplish this by reconfiguring traffic lanes to allow for direct access to all four directional highway ramps.
The diverging diamond interchange eliminates the need for motorists to make any left-hand turns when entering or exiting the highway by using a series of interconnected crossover lanes controlled by traffic lights and highway signage.
The Queen Elizabeth Way and Glendale Avenue in Niagara, Ont. (CTV News Toronto)
"A diverging diamond interchange provides easier access and flow for traffic, cyclists, and pedestrians,” the ministry said in a statement to CTV News Toronto earlier this month.
"This interchange design will reduce the number of vehicle conflict points and allow unrestricted access to the QEW."
(CTV News Toronto)
While diverging diamond interchanges will be new to drivers in Ontario, they have been used in other places, like the U.S., for years. There are currently two diverging diamond interchanges in Canada, one in Calgary and the other in Regina.
The Ontario government held an in-person public education session to learn "how to navigate" the new interchange.
At that time, an animated drive-through video was released showing how Ontario's interchange works.
(CTV News Toronto)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Rainfall warnings of up to 80 mm among weather alerts in effect for 6 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres and other alerts have been issued for six Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Bus plunges off a bridge in South Africa, killing 45 people. An 8-year-old child is only survivor
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Calgary bridges remain closed due to ongoing police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.