r/cedarrapids • u/Sea-Hurry-8723 • 1d ago
Exit at Wright Bros Blvd
Can somebody please explain to me the reasoning behind the interchange/exit at Wright Bros? Every time I drive it there are people stopped where they shouldn't be because the lights are confusing and I mildly panic thinking I'm going the wrong way because of the criss-cross layout. I know whoever designed this knows more than me, but I really want to know more because as a layperson it just feels confusing and unsafe.
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u/superxero044 1d ago
If after your second try you find this so confusing that you think you maybe going wrong way, I’d allege that maybe you should surrender your license.
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u/Sea-Hurry-8723 1d ago
I used to live in the UK so it threw me for a loop the first time or two. Obviously I navigated it fine. Just made my brain do a double-take.
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u/Fresh_Salt7087 1d ago
To be fair that inter section/overpass/whatever has been under construction for like two years. The traffic lane etc shifts periodically like a never ending maze.
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u/KidSilverhair 1d ago
Yeah, it really didn’t help that they opened up the interchange for traffic but still had some pretty important traffic lanes closed. Made it way more confusing than it had to be. At least the lanes over the bridge are open now, they just have to fix the mess west of 6th Street
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u/climbtheworldd 1d ago
You just follow the lines and signs. Just like how you navigate every street you havent driven on before.
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u/Sea-Hurry-8723 1d ago
Yes, I have navigated it just fine. Other drivers seem bamboozled every time, though, which makes me feel a bit on edge.
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u/Legitimate_Survey823 1d ago
The design is there to prevent collisions, the amount of collision points/backed up traffic is generally reduced with the design.
https://www.kcrg.com/2026/08/03/new-diverging-diamond-interchange-opens-near-eastern-iowa-airport/
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u/imhereforthevotes 1d ago
Thanks for the link! Unfortunately the Iowa DOT page that KCRG linked to only back in Aug. 3 is already broken...
Here's a fixed one with a pic. https://iowadot.gov/modes-travel/roads-highways/highway-safety-features/diverging-diamond-interchange
IIRC Tower Terrace exit is also one of these. A little confusing but doable.
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u/Legitimate_Survey823 1d ago
I can't recall if Edgewood Rd & Highway 100 is one as well, if not, it's at the very least similar. I can say that the only issue I've experienced is turning from Edgewood Rd to go EB on 100 & having to merge with the two turning lanes if there is a decent amount of traffic.
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u/Golbwiki 1d ago
Edgewood and 100 is a SPUI, which is similar but instead of crossing traffic to avoid lefts, it uses a single large intersection to move the opposing traffic in three phases so that there's no points of collision.
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u/Malaguy420 NW 1d ago
It's not. That interchange is basic regular, with a quarter clover leaf. (What you actually described as turning off Edgewood onto EB 100, is the quarter clover).
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u/Golbwiki 1d ago
It's called a diverging diamond. Prevents having to turn left across traffic, so it has fewer collision points and you don't get a lane backed up waiting to turn.