Officials choose diverging diamond interchange

The new intersection for Interstate 75 and Hancock County Road 99 will be the area's first diverging diamond interchange, according to the Ohio Department of Transportation. The design was selected by officials from ODOT District 1, the City of Findlay and the Hancock County Engineer's Office. The option was one of four presented to the public during a virtual hearing held in August. Findlay City Council gave its first reading to legislation that will appropriate $420,000 to pay for the design of the Hancock County 99 and Interstate 75 interchange at its Jan. 19 meeting. Construction funds are not yet secured for the project. The interchange will shift eastbound and westbound traffic to the other side of the bridge at signalized crossovers, eliminating left turns across traffic and the traffic signals for left turns. Traffic can then enter the interstate in a free flow movement to the ramps, which reduces the long start and stop times of trucks at signals. A similar interchange is located in Perrysburg at Interstate 475 and Ohio 25. The design also improves safety by reducing conflict points, according to ODOT.Compared to a conventional diamond interchange, a diverging diamond interchange reduces vehicle-to-vehicle conflict points by nearly 50% and eliminates many of the most severe crash types. The results of crash analysis at the interchange concluded that the benefit-cost ratio will have safety benefits that exceed the additional cost of construction. The project will construct an additional bridge next to the existing bridge over I-75, to the south. The new structure will provide three westbound lanes. Additional improvements will be made along the Hancock County 99 corridor, including the intersections with Technology, Speedway and Ventura drives. A shared-use path for bike and pedestrian traffic will be constructed along the south side of Hancock County 99 and utilize the original bridge structure for crossing over I-75. By constructing a separate bridge, there will be minimal impact to traffic during construction. Drivers will continue to use the existing bridge until the new structure is complete. Short-term disruptions will occur as traffic is moved onto the new bridge to allow improvements to the original structure. The options dismissed included those with traditional intersections. There was also discussion about constructing the interchange with an additional, but separate, multi-use bridge. The bridge would connect Miracle Park with future development on the west side of I-75. The bridge is not included in this project, but remains an option for future development, according to ODOT. The completed feasibility study and other documents are available on the project webpage at www.transportation.ohio.gov/Hancock99