By Bailey Lanore Henderson
REXBURG – Freeway construction is common in the summer, and this year is no different. In
March, work started to update all three Rexburg interchanges on U.S. Highway 20. Once
finished, the North Rexburg Interchange will be given traffic lights (signalized), and Diverging
Diamond Interchanges (DDIs) will be placed at both Main Street and University Boulevard.
According to 2024 Rexburg Road Construction, a website dedicated to giving updated
information, the DDIs at these interchanges will have many benefits: conflict points (such as
lanes where cars merge and diverge) will be made safer, and reduced congestion will increase
traffic flow, especially at left-turn lanes.
The site’s scheduled timeline for the construction is as follows:
- June 2024: University Blvd. Interchange (Exit 332) will fully close. Main St.
Interchange (Exit 333) will serve as an alternate route. - July 2024: University Blvd. will close to a single lane.
- August 2024: Main St. Interchange will fully close. University Blvd. Interchange will
serve as an alternate route. - September 2024: Main St. will close to a single lane.
- October 2024: Estimated completion date: October 31st.
Because these exits will be closed, alternative routes will be available while shutdowns occur.
These routes will include Pioneer Road, University Boulevard, and South Yellowstone Highway.
In the mid to late summer, additional construction will occur at the following locations: Barney
Dairy Road, North Hill Road, Hillview Drive, North 4th East, and South 2nd East.
Traffic is bound to increase over time since Rexburg is home to a growing community and
university. With these updates—especially the DDIs—not only will our streets be more
accommodating, but residents and visitors alike will be much safer.
For more information on this project, visit the project’s website here. For tutorials on how to
navigate DDIs, visit these links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzYXxqgl-Og&t=200s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLAwwl3EtN4
