First DDI Opens in the US

How did Missouri drivers fare with the nation's first diverging diamond interchange? Not bad, according to comments on KSPR's news article.

Diverging Diamond at I-44 & Kansas Confuses Some
By Natalie Swallow

Story Created: Jun 22, 2009

The nation's first diverging diamond interchange is now open at I-44 and Kansas Expressway in Springfield.

MoDOT says the diverging diamond should improve traffic flow at the busy spot, though the change has been confusing for a few folks as they try to head down the wrong side of the interchange.

Crews are still putting the finishing touches on timing the lights and have some concrete work left to do. MoDOT should finish the project by July 3.

Cost of for the project was about $3 million or one-third the price of a traditional interchange redesign.

MoDOT is putting in another diverging diamond at James River Freeway and National. http://www.kspr.com/news/whereyoulive/greene/48769012.html

Want to know more about DDIs? Learn the basics of a diverging diamond interchange and how it functions here: http://www.ohm-advisors.com/ddi/index.cfm.

Getting Our Green On in Tennessee

A team of OHMers just returned from the Tennessee Municipal League's 70th Annual Conference, where the buzz was green, green, green! We added our voices to the hum, too, with a workshop on Greening Your Streets: How to Fund $$ for Storm Water Infiltration. Since so many communities face the same challenge - finding ways to be green without spending too much green - we found lots of eager participants.

The presentation aimed to share simple tips to find and program funds to make water quality improvements, in conjunction with a community’s road projects. The workshop included photos of example projects and funding sources to demonstrate workable ideas, a simple planning/funding cycle process to follow and Q&A on porous pavement and other infiltration techniques. Can't wait to learn more? Take a peek at the presentation below.

Green Streets: Finding Funding for Stormwater Infiltration

View more Microsoft Word documents from OHM Advancing Communities.

Retroreflectivity - Don't Get Caught in the Dark

Listin to our Podcast on Retroreflectivity

Audio is a podcast on iTunes. Listen.

How do you maintain the traffic signs in your community? Below is a simple self test. Choose the answer that reflects your standard practices:

1. We replace traffic signs only if they have been knocked down or if a resident complains about how poor they look.


2. On an irregular basis, during regular business hours, we sweep through parts of town and replace the traffic signs that seem the most faded or damaged.


3. At least once a year, we perform nighttime inspections to discover which traffic signs are no longer visible.


4. We track the age of traffic signs and replace all those that have reached a specific age.


5. We have a fancy instrument that measures the traffic sign face for minimum performance. We also have a schedule to routinely measure signs and replace those that are substandard.

If you checked answer 1 or 2, get ready for a change. In December 2007, the Federal Highway Administration published a new rule that requires minimum retroreflectivity for signs on public roads.
Retroreflectivity is the scientific term that describes the ability of a surface to return light back to its source. Retroreflective signs and pavement markings bounce light from vehicle headlights back toward the vehicle and the driver’s eyes, making signs and pavement markings visible to the driver.*

The key to compliance is to have a system in place. Essential elements of a compliant system include regularly inspecting signs and replacing those that no longer function adequately. If you checked answers 3, 4 or 5, in our self test, you have the makings of a management system. Your next step is to make sure that you know the new requirements, and then perform a quick review of your system to make sure that you are fully compliant. If you checked answer 1 or 2 in our self test, run (don’t walk) to your friendly engineering advisor and get help creating a system to manage this important asset. Deadlines for compliance will be here before you know it.

For help or advice interpreting the new requirements, or creating a plan to comply contact: Stephen Dearing, Manager of Traffic Engineering Services - 888.522.6711

ohm-advisors.com