Diverging diamond interchange at Colonial Blvd. enters final stages

After years, the wait is over; the diverging diamond interchange at Colonial Boulevard and Interstate 75 is nearing its final phase before opening on Sunday with its new traffic pattern.

Crews will close the on- and off-ramps of I-75 at Colonial and the entire stretch of Colonial Boulevard starting Friday night at 9.

Then, on Saturday, at 2 p.m. until Sunday 2 p.m. crews will close the interchange off-ramps between I-75 and Colonial Boulevard. Crews will also close Colonial Boulevard between Six Mile Cypress Parkway/Ortiz Avenue and Forum Boulevard.

Pedestrian and bicycle access will remain closed until Monday at 6 a.m.

Take a look at our map:

Crews will be restriping the road and adding signs and traffic signals.

Drivers using 75 will need to exit at Daniels Parkway. You can also get off at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard or Ortiz Avenue and cut through the Forum.

If everything goes to plan, it will be back open at 2 p.m. on Sunday, and drivers will finally be able to ride the diverging diamond.

“We expect more traffic to flow smoothly … this is probably gonna be an adjustment period for the drivers like they’re not used to this type of design, but we have done it in Sarasota County,” said Juan Carrillo, Senior Construction Project Manager with the Florida Department of Transportation.

Drivers will have to adjust to both this short-term construction and this long-term fix to traffic.

WINK will continue to keep you updated on the construction of this busy intersection.

The biggest takeaway to keep you prepared to navigate through this is knowing your detour routes.