Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/341318
One promising sign for McHale, he says, is that one of his neighbors is from Atlanta, and she has told him about a diverging diamond built there in 2012. "She said she loves it." State transportation officials working with local elected government leaders hope the diverging diamond at University Parkway will become the critical piece in a traffic improve- ment puzzle for the fast-growing area. With the new Mall at University Town Center scheduled to open in October, Benderson Park's rowing facility preparing for the 2017 World Championships and an abundance of new homes planned, even more vehicles will be driving through the already congested intersection. During Thursday's meeting in a packed hotel conference room in Lakewood Ranch, some residents watched an FDOT video showing how the interchange would work (see the accompanying link) and looked at renderings of the design. Lewis Dean, who lives close to the interstate, was among those interested in the details. Dean studied one of the renderings showing the proposed diverging diamond interchange and traffic signals on University Parkway. "Do they have a transportation management system to synchronize the lights, especially during peak hours?" he asked during an interview with The Sarasota News Leader. The News Leader was unable to answer that Residents say they encounter congestion on University Parkway from about 4 to 6 p.m. weekdays. When a vehicle crash occurs, as was the case on June 26, traffic is at a standstill. Photo by Roger Drouin Do they have a transportation management system to synchronize the lights, especially during peak hours? Lewis Dean Resident Sarasota County Sarasota News Leader July 4, 2014 Page 31