Sioux Falls is officially outfitted with a diverging diamond interchange.
It’s located at the I-29 exit on 41st Street. After years of construction, it became operational Tuesday.
A diverging diamond is a type of interchange that handles heavy left-turn movements of traffic more efficiently.
Joel Jundt is the Secretary of the Department of Transportation. He said the diverging diamond is a first of its kind in Sioux Falls.
“We looked at four different types of interchanges, one was a single point that you see pretty much all over, such as 12th street here on I-29. We looked at a half clover leaf which is at Marion interchange, and then we also looked at a compressed diamond. Finally, this is a new interchange that we have here in South Dakota, that is called a diverging diamond interchange,” said Jundt.
Paul Tenhaken is the mayor of Sioux Falls. He said this is just the first diverging diamond project in the city among many.
“The Benson Road and I-25 project is currently in progress for a diverging diamond. And then, thanks to some recent support from the transportation commission, finally moving forward with the I-29 and 85th street overpass which has been a long time in the making, and that will have a diverging diamond as well too and will help traffic flow," said Tenhaken. "Not only in the Sioux Falls area, but up and down this transportation corridor.”
Project managers met with over 60 business owners over hundreds of meetings during the development of the diamond on 41st Street.
