As the first Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) in Gwinnett County and the second in Georgia, the DDI at Pleasant Hill Road opened over I-85 on June 9, 2013. A DDI is a traffic interchange in which two directions of traffic on the non-freeway road cross to the opposite side on both sides of the bridge, forming a diamond-shaped pattern.
This innovative traffic design of shifting vehicles to the opposite side of the road proves to be effective in reducing possible points of conflict and eliminating left turns waiting to clear opposing traffic. The traffic flow results, show a 51% decrease in the average number of stops and a 43% decrease in total delay along that portion of Pleasant Hill Road at Club Drive and Satellite Boulevard.
The DDI also allowed for the addition of:
- New traffic signals that align with the new lane configurations and improved signal timing to aid traffic flow
- New sidewalks and streetscapes along the Pleasant Hill Road corridor from Breckinridge Boulevard/Shackelford Road to Venture Drive/Venture Parkway
Click here to view a Gwinnett County video detailing the advantages of the DDI.
While the DDI continues to function effectively, plans must be made for continued improvements to the interchange and surrounding intersections. In preparation for updates, the CID completed the Pleasant Hill Road at I-85 Interchange Assessment report.