Diverging Diamond interchange fully opens in time for holiday travel season

ROSTRAVER TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The diverging diamond interchange officially opened in Rostraver. Drivers on Route 51 now follow a new traffic pattern, putting them temporarily on the left side of the roadway.

“The diverging diamond was part of the solution to modernize 70 to eliminate those stoplight-controlled on ramps and off ramps,” Dominec Caruso said, senior assistant construction engineer for District 12.

Stop signs have been eliminated, and new traffic lanes are open at the diverging diamond interchange at Route 51 and I-70.

Drivers said thanks to PennDOT’s signs, it’s been easy to follow.

“It’s real easy,” Michelle King said. “I mean, there’s arrows pointing in the way you want to go.”

Route 51 traffic will move onto the opposite side of the roadway temporarily, making it easier to get onto the I-70 entrance ramps without stopping at lights.

“It’s very important now to open that back up,” Caruso said. “It’s good that it’s happening right before one of our busiest travel holidays, to open things up, add more capacity, and get everybody through there safely and efficiently.”

This is the second intersection of this kind in Western Pennsylvania. The first is in Washington County, where I-70 meets Route 19. There are now 4 total in the state of Pennsylvania.

“Next year we are going to come back through, mill the entire top surface off and put a nice new wearing surface down, ya know, pretty the project up and put a bow on it to be done next year,” Caruso said.

The entire project will wrap up in the fall of 2026.

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