to gather information from stakeholders and the general public into the design of the diverging diamond interchange at Exit 28 of I-77. The revolutionary new design will allow the interchange to handle significantly more traffic more efficiently, at cost of only $6 million, a fraction of the cost of a standard interchange.

 

"This will be the signature gateway for our town," Assistant Town Manager Andrew Grant told Cornelius commissioners Monday night. "Most folks think of us as Exit 28, and we want it to be more than that. It's a chance to put our stamp on the gateway to our town. We want this to be a process that gains input from everyone, not just stakeholders."

The diverging diamond design moves traffic more efficiently by moving traffic to the left side of the bridge, limiting red light cycles to allow left turns onto and off of I-77. Traffic exiting I-77 will turn directly into the left lane of the bridge, then cross over to the right side after crossing the bridge. Also, vehicles will move from the left side of the bridge directly onto access ramps, To view a model of how a diverging diamond interchange functions, visit the Town of Cornelius Web site at www.cornelius.org. The town is seeking input on the esoteric design alongside Catawba Avenue at both ends of the interchange.