FOX POINT — Southeast Wisconsin’s first Divergent Diamond Interchange (DDI) is expected to open on Saturday, Nov. 23, according to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation.

After several years of construction, the I-43 interchange at Brown Deer Road is nearing completion.

Wisconsin Department of Transportation

This project is part of a project 14 miles modernization I-43 between the cities of Glendale and Grafton.

Previous Scope: https://www.tmj4.com/traffic/i-43-at-brown-deer-to-become-diverging-diamond-interchange-heres-what-to-expect

The intersection briefly diverts traffic on Brown Deer Road to the opposite side, as shown in this diagram from WisDOT.

Even for more experienced riders like George McWilliam, this kind of change can seem scary.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE BROWN DEER ROAD DDI: YouTube Video

“I think it’s definitely going to be an adjustment period for a lot of people who come here to shop and for a lot of people who come here to work and live,” McWilliam said.

Mike Beiermeister

DDI is designed to eliminate turning into oncoming traffic while also allowing free-flow left turns on the interstate, WisDOT said in a news release.

“This type of engineering reduces the likelihood of vehicle crashes by nearly 50% and eliminates the most severe types of crashes,” the WisDOT statement said.

Watch: Motorists prepare for the new Diverging Diamond Interchange at I-43 and Brown Deer Rd.

Drivers prepare for the new Diverging Diamond Interchange over I-43 at Brown Deer Road

It’s an interstate that Jim Gutglass drives every day.

“When I see the diagram, I’m a little more nervous than excited because I want simplicity when it comes to commuting, and it looks like there’s a lot going on there,” Gutglass said.

Mike Beiermeister

He and others will need to adapt to significant changes on this busy road. According to WisDOT, 1,100 vehicles enter I-43 southbound during rush hour and 800 vehicles enter I-43 northbound.

“Hopefully it will be simple and quick because time is valuable and you don’t want to get stuck in a complicated system,” Gutglass added.

That’s why both George and Jim said they’ll be keeping a close eye on signs in the area.

“It might take a while for everyone to get used to the traffic, but ultimately once things calm down I think it will help improve the flow for everyone,” McWilliam said.

According to WisDOT, work is weather dependent and subject to change.

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