American Fork Main Street - Divergent Diamond Interchange!

Okay.  You are going to think I am a complete geek, but I have my reasons, alright!

Both of my hometown freeway access points are undergoing a transformation.  The Main Street interchange is complete and open for business, and the 500 S. interchange is currently under construction to turn it into the  same type of interchange.

It is called a 'divergent diamond' interchange, and they are the first of their type in Utah.

Here is a rendering of it...

If you can tell from the picture, the travel lanes cross each other on the overpass so that, while you are on the bridge, you are travelling on the opposite side from what you are used to.

Here is another, more accurate drawing of Main Street...

"Why in the world are you blogging about a dumb freeway interchange?"  you ask.

Two reasons.

First, this interchange is just part of a larger project called "Pioneer Crossing".  It is a new multi lane thoroughfare from American Fork to... Saratoga Springs!  That is where I work. 

Saratoga Springs is a relatively new town that has had a population explosion.  All of the elementary schools out there are bursting at the seams.  And between Saratoga and Eagle Mountain (another new town to the west), the traffic loads on Lehi Main street were OVERWHELMING.  You see, Lehi Main was THE ONLY way to get from the west towns in the county to the east towns in the county without either driving around the lake to the south (takes way too long), or driving north into Salt Lake County (and all their traffic).  My commute was crowded.

Now with Pioneer Crossing open, my commute is so stress free and fast!

The second reason I am blogging about a freeway interchange is to let my out of town family know about the changes so they can be prepared for funky new roads when they come to visit.  I think y'all are going to be shocked at how much growth has happened around here when you come in December!  American Fork doesn't look small town anymore.  People from Saratoga and Eagle Mtn. now 'come into town' to Lehi and AF the way that Bill and I used to 'go into town' to Provo/Orem 10-15 years ago.

I love that all the shops and city life has come to me!  I am sure not everyone feels that way, though.

By the way, I have driven over the new interchange several times and I like it!  It is not confusing to me at all and seems to flow really well.