VDOT unveils new diverging diamond interchange in Stafford County

Diverging diamond interchange coming to Northern Virginia

A massive project aimed at alleviating traffic in Northern Virginia is on its way.

STAFFORD COUNTY, Va. (FOX 5 DC) - Northern Virginia will be home to a brand new diverging diamond interchange as of Saturday morning. It’s located over I-95 at Courthouse Road in Stafford County and should cut down on congestion, according to the Virginia Department of Transportation.

“By opening up this area, it’ll let traffic circulate better, it’ll enhance safety with our new design, and it’ll really just prepare this region for all the growth that’s coming,” explained VDOT Spokesperson Kelly Hannon.

Basically the interchange briefly shifts vehicles on Courthouse Road to the other side of the road on new overpass bridges. That allows drivers to merge left onto the I-95 northbound and southbound ramps without stopping at a signal.

Stafford County Diverging Diamond Interchange (Virginia Department of Transportation)

It’s all part of a $195 million project aimed at cutting down on traffic, something even skeptical drivers said sounded good to them.

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“I’m for anything that’ll ease congestion in the long term,” driver Steve Ostrosky said back in November before adding, “the short term scares the bejesus out of me, I don’t know what’ll happen.”

When the interchange opens Saturday morning, there will be extra police officers nearby to help direct drivers. For more information on the project, you can click here.