Residents of Grand Junction are long familiar with our love for the latest and greatest when it comes to intersections. We’ve got quite a few roundabouts in town, including more than one double roundabout, and even a diamond interchange out on Highway 6&50. We also have a great love for sometimes confusing road names, like those with fractions (F 1/2), numbers and fractions (28 1/4), and names that change, from F to Patterson, and back again, depending on your locale. Can it be confusing? Yes. Is it consistent? Yes.
The latest cause of concern with our traffic is the 5-way intersection at Grand, 1st, and 6&50. For locals this intersection is no longer confusing. We all know which lanes to be in to go towards the Mall, towards 1st street, or to stay on I-70B. For those visiting, however, this intersection can cause bewilderment. Confusion here can lead to accidents and we all know accidents lead to injuries.
CDOT is working on possible redesigns for the entire area, from Rood Avenue all the way to Mulberry, which is just west of the 5-way intersection, off of Grand/Hwy 340. In this image from The Daily Sentinel, we see a possible alternative. Here, just the small portion of 1st street that used to connect to Grand (it was one-way) is removed. Those looking to get to 1st street from Grand or I-70 B will turn at what is now another one-way intersection. 
According to The Daily Sentinel, “It aims to simplify the jumbled intersection of I-70B and Grand Avenue, changing it from a five-way intersection to a four-way. It will move the entrance to First Street to a T-intersection to the north . It will also be turning the business loop into three lanes in each direction. New amenities like multimodal paths will also be added and will connect to other path systems in the area.”
We’re interested to see the progression of these Grand Junction I-70B updates. There will be delays, and lots of construction crews to watch out for. Drivers will need to slow down, and many will probably avoid the area altogether, using North Avenue, Patterson Road, and the Riverside Parkway as alternatives.