Springfield's 4th diverging diamond interchange is planned for South Kansas Expressway

Springfield also has plans for several more traffic flow enhancements.

April 24, 2012|by KY3 News | news@ky3.com

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Plans are in the works for the fourth diverging diamond interchange in the city. This one would be on Kansas Expressway (Missouri 13) at James River Freeway (U.S. 60).

Natasha Longpine, principal planner for Ozarks Transportation Organization, a regional coordinating group for highway projects, and Angela Eden, a spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Transportation, say construction could start late this year or early next year.

The $5.1 million project would be jointly funded by MoDOT, Greene County ($500,000), and the City of Springfield ($2,055,400). The city’s funds come from its 1/8-percent sales tax for transportation projects. The county’s funds come from a federal program for urban roads that are not part of the Interstate or federal highway system.

The city’s first two diverging diamonds are on Kansas Expressway (Missouri 13) at Interstate 44 and on National Avenue at James River Freeway. A third one is under construction on Chestnut Expressway (Business Route 65) at U.S. 65. MoDOT also recently built one in Branson on Missouri 248 at U.S. 65.

Diverging diamond interchanges enhance traffic flow by switching vehicles to the left side of a bridge instead of the right. It allows vehicles to make unobstructed left turns to and from highway ramps, reducing the chances of head-on crashes and backups caused by vehicles turning left across oncoming traffic.

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Edited news release -- more information given to Springfield City Council on Tuesday about planned transportation projects:

City of Springfield Public Works Director Phil Broyles provided details about a bill to come before Council at the meeting on May 7. The request is to approve allocations of funds for reinvestment projects Public Works would like to fund using savings resulting from efficiencies in previous 1/8-percent sales tax transportation projects , additional sales tax monies above previous projections and successful cost-sharing initiatives with MoDOT and Greene County.

The plans include several additional MoDOT and Greene County cost-sharing projects such as widening Glenstone to six lanes from Battlefield Road to James River Freeway and realigning flow through the area north of Republic Road at Glenstone, including moving the east side of Republic Road up to line up with Independence Street.

Also proposed will be a new diverging diamond interchange at Kansas and James River Freeway, similar to ones at Missouri 13 at Kansas Expressway and National Avenue at James River Freeway.

In addition, funds would be used to add to the city-wide intelligent transportation system program, including re-timing every signal in town simultaneously and installing new controllers to allow for better traffic flow management during rush hours and for special events and weekends.

“Drivers will experience quicker and better traffic flow, something that was indicated as the top priority by citizen’s participating in the City’s most recent community survey,” Broyles said.

Finally, reinvestment funds would improve the City-wide Intermodal Transportation Program. This would include completing The Link – a north-south connection with biking and walking paths, as well as improving railroad crossings and new sidewalks.

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