New interchange in Niagara, Ontario, opens today

Ontario's first branching diamond interchange will open to motorists on Monday morning, the Ministry of Transportation confirmed.

The new interchange at Glendale Avenue and the Queen Elizabeth Highway (QEW) in Niagara will open to motorists on the morning of September 26.

According to the Department of Transportation, the interchange was constructed to reduce traffic congestion and improve traffic flow for motorists merging and exiting the QEW at Glendale Avenue.

This will be achieved by reconfiguring the lanes to allow direct access to all four motorway entrances.

The diverging diamond interchange eliminates the need for drivers to turn left when entering or exiting the motorway, as there are a series of interconnected crossing lanes controlled by traffic lights and motorway signage.

Queen Elizabeth Way and Glendale Avenue in Niagara, Ontario (CTV News Toronto)

“A diverging diamond interchange will facilitate access and traffic flow for cyclists and pedestrians,” the ministry said in a statement to CTV News Toronto earlier this month.

“This interchange design will reduce the number of conflict points between vehicles and allow for unobstructed access to the QEW.”

(CTV News Toronto)

While diverging diamond intersections are new to drivers in Ontario, they have been used for years in other places, such as the United States. There are currently two diverging diamond intersections in Canada, one in Calgary and the other in Regina.