Adam RollinsThe Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will build a $257 million Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) along Interstate 95 at U.S. 1. The project will help reduce congestion and improve safety at the intersection. The project is in the design phase, with construction expected to begin in fall 2027.
A DDI is a highway design intended to accommodate high traffic volumes without increasing the existing number of lanes and traffic signals. The traffic lanes use crossover sections to temporarily divert drivers to the left side of the road. This transition makes it easier and safer for drivers to make left turns, reducing conflict points in intersections and mitigating accident risk.
The current I-95 interchange is outdated, featuring deficient median opening spacing and driveway connections. The intersections feature high crash rates that are an ongoing danger to motorists and pedestrians. In addition, the existing loop ramps are substandard, the I-95 bridges do not have enough vertical clearance, and the bicycle and pedestrian features do not extend far enough to ensure safety.
FDOT will build the I-95 DDI to improve operations, reduce conflict points, minimize traffic queues and eliminate loop ramps. Plans include widening the roadway from two lanes in each direction to three. A grass median will separate the two-direction lanes. In addition, FDOT will build shared-use paths for bicyclists and pedestrians.
The project will only use two traffic signal phases to direct traffic to streamline traffic flow without increasing delays. FDOT plans to install detention ponds and floodplain compensation sites to mitigate flooding.
The project will be in Volusia County, approximately 63.5 miles northeast of Orlando.
Photo courtesy of FDOT
