People are being given the opportunity to weigh in on plans to improve the safety along one of Trumbull County’s busiest corridors using a unique traffic pattern known as a “diverging diamond”.

If carried out, drivers would find themselves traveling in what seems to opposite traffic lanes for short distances at the intersection in the Howland Township business district, near the Eastwood Mall Complex.

The Ohio Department of Transportation has scheduled a July 15, 2021, virtual meeting on the proposal to reduce congestion at the intersection of SR 82 and SR 46, and on SR 46 between 82 and Warren-Sharon Road.

State officials say that between 2012 and 2016 there were 159 crashes at the SR 46 and SR 82 ramp intersections, and another sixty crashes north of the intersection on Route 46.

The Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) proposed for the intersection improves safety and mobility at a lower cost than conventional interchanges according to traffic experts.

The key difference from conventional interchanges is how the DDI handles left turns. The crossovers are designed to gently transition traffic from the right side of the road to the left side of the road and then back again.

Because traffic is on the left-hand side between the crossovers, all left turns occur without having to cross opposing traffic.

The ODOT video below shows how the DDI works:

 

If finalized, the project would begin in 2023 and be scheduled for completion in 2025.

More information may be found at this link.

The public may attend the virtual meeting scheduled for Thursday, July 15 at 5:00 p.m. by visiting the link https://publicinput.com/drivetheddi or to join by phone call 855-925-2801 at the meeting start time, enter meeting code 9795, and follow the prompts.

Comments regarding the project may be submitted on the website through the comment submittal form, by email at [email protected], by phone at 330-786-2274.

Comments are welcome at any time but only those received by August 15, 2021, will be included in the official project documentation.

Those without computer access can request a transcript and paper copy of the presentation.