How will Access Change?

As part of the safety improvements to this interchange, there are a few proposed changes to driveways at the median openings closest to the interchange.

Left turns from driveways onto Memorial Drive (especially during peak traffic periods) carry an elevated risk of severe angle or “T-bone” collisions. With the new Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI), improvements to traffic flow efficiency and sight distance will make it more difficult to find gaps in traffic to safely turn left onto Memorial Drive. As part of the interchange improvements, hooded left turns (propeller medians) will be installed on both the north and south side of the interchange to restrict left turns onto Memorial Drive.

The hooded left turn concept is already in place along the Memorial Drive corridor, including the location shown below south of E 101^st Street. Hooded left turns permit entry from both directions of travel, but to improve safety, limit exiting traffic to just right-out only.

The hooded left turn improvements with this project will modify existing driveway access to Spirit Bank, Bill Knight Ford, and Jackie Cooper Imports (see figures below). All other driveways within the project footprint will remain the same.

Access from Memorial Drive to Hibdon Tires Plus Auto Care and Mill Creek Carpet & Tile will be maintained similarly to the current conditions, with permissible right-in entry and right-out only exit from this driveway.