Here’s when traffic may ease at Boca’s newly designed I-95 exit. Final changes coming soon.

Drivers in Boca Raton may be frustrated by what seems to be mounting traffic tie-ups at the newly redesigned I-95 exit at Glades Road, known as the “diverging diamond” crossing. But the state says that’s to be expected because it’s not yet fully completed.

In recent months, the state Department of Transportation had raised a public awareness campaign, telling drivers can expect the work to be fully completed by May 1. But in a recent update, it announced that the improvements should be arriving sooner, with the final changes being made by 5 a.m. Monday, March 27.

And drivers can expect some upcoming detours in preparation for that: Glades Road at I-95 will undergo a full weekend shutdown from 11 p.m. March 24 through 5 a.m. March 27, the transportation department said.

It said, “Thank you for your patience during the temporary configuration of the Glades Road [Diverging Diamond Interchange]. To minimize impact to the traveling public, FDOT, the contractor, and project team have worked closely with the City of Boca Raton to expedite the remaining work at the interchange.”

[ RELATED: ‘Diverging diamond’ finally opens for drivers at newly redesigned I-95 exit at Glades Road ]

The state transportation department had said that the redesigned crossing, known as a diverging diamond interchange, needed a few more updates before it’s officially completed.

Since the newly configured crossing was opened to drivers in January, the department said a lane needed to be added in each direction and additional lanes need to be added on the ramps. As well, sidewalks and bike lanes have not been completed yet, and pedestrians and cyclists are asked to use a temporary path on the south side of Glades Road.

A diagram of how traffic flows at the new diverging diamond interchange at Glades Road and I-95. (Florida Department of Transportation)

The diverging diamond “had to be opened in a temporary configuration as new drainage structures, curb and gutter, sidewalks and pedestrian signals could not be installed with traffic in the old roadway configuration,” the transportation department said.

In the meantime, those who live or work near the crossing have been trying to adjust.

Kelly Bishop, 21, who lives and works in the area, says that traffic has only gotten worse. No matter how early she tries to leave her house to get to work, or to get to a doctor’s appointment, she finds herself in standstill traffic.

Traffic build up along Glades Road and I-95 at the diverging diamond intersection in Boca Raton on Thursday, March 16, 2023. The state Department of Transportation says that the intersection is not fully completed. Drivers can expect construction work to be done by March 27. (Carline Jean / South Florida Sun Sentinel)

“One time I estimated the time perfectly to get to my doctor’s office, and we were 10 minutes late in standstill traffic. We couldn’t even pull into the center where it was,” Bishop said.

Walker Webb, 22, of Boca Raton, says once the diverging diamond was opened, the traffic tie-ups were instantly noticeable: He works at a nearby Starbucks coffee shop, and estimated it was adding about five to 10 minutes to his commute.

“It was significantly longer every time, and now I take Spanish River [Boulevard] instead,” Webb said.

Steven Schuss, a manager at Farmer’s Table in Boca Raton, says he and other employees at the restaurant have been all right managing the new changes.

Traffic build up along Glades Road and I-95 at the diverging diamond intersection in Boca Raton on Thursday. (Carline Jean / South Florida Sun Sentinel)

“We were pretty proactive with looking at the transportation reports, and we let everyone know in advance that the northbound lane was going to be closed,” Schuss said, noting that so far employees have been able to arrive on time.

Intended to help with the flow of traffic and to reduce crashes by about a third, the new formation is the first of its kind in Palm Beach County. The diamond-shaped pattern briefly sends drivers to the opposite side of the road to help create safer and easier left-hand turns to and from I-95.

The interchange routes westbound drivers to the left side of the road while going over the I-95 bridge. From there, they can get on I-95 south or north, or stay on Glades Road. The lane then switches back to the right side of the road.