BLUE SPRINGS, MO – Closely spaced intersections, weaving traffic patterns, and a lack of storage capacity contribute to long delays and congestion at Woods Chapel Road south of I-70 in Blue Springs. These issues will soon be addressed. MoDOT and the City of Blue Springs, Mo., have approved TranSystems’ design for the diverging diamond interchange (DDI) for the community.
“Officials of the City of Blue Springs and the public are excited, and construction is on schedule for next summer,” said Oliver DeGrate, Blue Springs Public Works Director. “The DDI and South Outer Road relocation are primary elements of an engineering solution that will provide the capacity upgrades and safety enhancements that the City was asked to deliver when the residents of Blue Springs approved a Council-backed bond issue, passed in August 2008. The city staff is thrilled with the project.”
The interchange configuration is known as a DDI because of the way it is designed to diverge or switch traffic to the opposite side of the road before traveling over an overpass or under an underpass – in this case a bridge over I-70 and then back again. This design is new to the United States, the first having recently opened in Springfield, Mo.
“We are excited about the potential improvements made possible by this partnership with the City of Blue Springs,” said Beth Wright, District Engineer, MoDOT District 4. “We have seen the DDI as a practical solution which greatly reduces congestion and improves safety in other locations throughout the state. We are confident it is the right solution for improvements at the Woods Chapel interchange.”
A leading professional services firm dedicated to providing innovative solutions to the spectrum of transportation industry challenges, TranSystems recommended this design for the area because it could resolve area’s issues at a lower cost. Since the design is ideal for the reuse of narrow structures, it would not be necessary to replace the bridge or modify I-70. The DDI will be one of the first of its kind to be constructed in the Kansas City area – two more are under design. The project is being led by Tom Rohr, TranSystems’ Assistant Vice President in the Kansas City Office, with Mike Wahlstedt as the lead traffic engineer.
According to Mike Wahlstedt at TranSystems, “The original vision for the Woods Chapel Road project was to only improve the roadway north and south of the interchange, however, using the DDI concept the City is able to address the primary bottleneck along the corridor in a cost-effective manner.”
The City of Blue Springs is funding the project and initiated this improvement project to support existing traffic and planned future development. Continued traffic growth along the Woods Chapel Road corridor, from the westbound ramps at the I-70 interchange to south of Briarwood and Castle Drive, has created the need to improve the roadway and interchange with I-70. The project area is comprised of an existing commercial area to the east and planned retail development to the west. South of Valley View Road, the corridor transitions to primarily residential development.
“This project represents the best in intergovernmental cooperation. Blue Springs residents, visitors and businesses will reap the benefits of this exciting and revolutionary interchange for years to come,” said City of Blue Springs Mayor Carson Ross.