Adding lanes won’t address all the congestion problems on I-70. What happens to traffic once it exits the interstate can have a profound impact on safety and efficiency along the “main line.”

We’ve all seen it happen – stop lights and turning movements near the end of an exit ramp cause traffic to back up – sometimes ramp traffic can back up out to the main lanes of I-70. On the cross road, backups can create gridlock conditions in the interchange area that makes access to businesses difficult. This creates extremely hazardous conditions for all travelers. In fact, up to 68 percent of all crashes are access related.

Widening and reconstructing I-70 will require that every interchange be rebuilt. This provides the opportunity to incorporate the latest methods for improving interchange safety and efficiency.

One such method is the use of access management measures to control the number and location of access points near an interchange. Another is the use of innovative design solutions, such as the Single Point Urban Interchange (SPUI). While most interchanges along I-70 will likely be rebuilt in a configuration much like what is there today, conditions in some locations may require the interchange to take a new form. The SPUI is now being used with greater frequency in Missouri, and could be considered in the more urban areas along I-70. The use of roundabouts at nearby intersections is another method for improving traffic flow and safety in the area of an interchange.

More detail about access management, SPUIs and roundabouts can be found by clicking on the links above.