Ever want to drive through a diverging diamond interchange? You can beginning Sunday

Motorists traveling along University Parkway beginning Sunday will drive through Florida’s first diverging diamond interchange.

The new diverging diamond traffic pattern at the Interstate 75/University Parkway interchange will go into effect Sunday morning.

“The traffic pattern on University Parkway at the I-75/University Parkway interchange is changing to a diverging diamond interchange that initially includes five westbound lanes and five eastbound lanes,” according to a Florida Department of Transportation notice. “Westbound traffic diverts (shifts) from the north side of University Parkway to the southside and eastbound traffic diverts (shifts) from the south side of University Parkway to the northside. Motorists wishing to enter the interstate would stay in the left two lanes. Follow signage and lane striping.”

Since August 2015, crews have been working on both University Parkway and I-75 to build the diverging diamond interchange, which will be the largest in the United States when completed.

While the $74.5 million project, expected to be finished in time for the 2017 World Rowing Championships at nearby Nathan Benderson Park, is more than 80 percent complete, there will still be work done after this weekend’s traffic pattern change.

Leading up to this weekend’s diverging diamond traffic pattern implementation, there will be lane closures and detours. From 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. this Wednesday and Thursday, westbound University Parkway will be closed under I-75 at the interchange.

Beginning at 10 p.m. Saturday and lasting until 7 a.m. Sunday, both eastbound and westbound University Parkway will be closed under I-75 at the University Parkway interchange. There will also be lane closures on both the I-75 southbound and northbound off-ramps.

Prince Contracting, LLC is the contractor on the project, which is expected to be complete this fall.

This story was originally published May 15, 2017 at 5:27 PM with the headline "Ever want to drive through a diverging diamond interchange? You can beginning Sunday."