When driving on the wrong side of the road is the right way to speed up traffic

NPR

By Joel Rose

MAY 28, 2024

HAYMARKET, Va. — When you first approach this bridge over Interstate 66 in northern Virginia, it may feel like you're driving on the wrong side of the road.

Because, in a way, you are.

"There were a lot of people who looked at me like I was a little nuts," says traffic engineer Gilbert Chlewicki, the inventor of this unconventional interchange. "Like, why are you putting me on the other side of the road?"

Chlewicki agreed to meet at this intersection 35 miles west of Washington, D.C. to explain the workings of the diverging diamond interchange, as it's known. He was easy to spot, wearing a neon yellow vest for safety.

As you enter the interchange, the right and left sides of the road cross over each other at a stop light. You are, in fact, driving on the left side of the road at this point. From there, left turns become a lot easier, because there's no oncoming traffic in the way. Instead of waiting for a signal, you get a free left turn.

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