“Divergent Diamond” sounds vaguely futuristic, as if it’s a concept in a science-fiction movie.

Well, in a way it is.

A distant cousin of the “roundabout,” the divergent diamond is the latest roadway configuration. What’s more, as they say, it’s coming to a road near you.

The divergent diamond will be started in 2012 and completed in 2013 at the intersection of Hwy. 15 and CR 120 (near Epic Center in Sartell), it will be the first of its kind in Minnesota.

At a recent meeting, the Sartell City Council approved the divergent-diamond-design concept. The St. Cloud City Council, which must also approve the concept, has tabled the issue for further study.

A cost breakdown is not available yet. About $10 million of the project’s cost, estimated at about $14 million, will be shared by the state-funded Greater Minnesota Interchange Grant. The rest will be shared among the Minnesota Department of Transportation, Stearns County, St. Cloud and Sartell.

Related projects for the divergent diamond are the reconstruction of CR 120 and building of roundabouts near the CentraCare area and at 50th Avenue/CR 134. They will cost about $1.5 million, with $1 million paid for by the federal government and the rest by Stearns County.

At a public hearing at the Sartell council meeting, a few people in the audience expressed concerns about whether the project would disrupt their neighborhoods and whether it will safely accommodate pedestrians or bicyclists.

Two experts on the divergent-diamond concept spoke at the meeting – Jodi Teich of the Stearns County Public Works Department and Claudia Dumont of Minnesota Department of Transportation.

The project will involve digging up part of Hwy. 15 and making it 16.5 feet deeper than it is now at the point where it is crossed by CR 120 from the Hennen’s Furniture area to the vast Epic Center to the east. CR 120 will then be reconstructed to cross over and above Hwy. 15. The divergent-diamond interchange concept is unique because those who make left turns will never have to do so against oncoming traffic. The road lanes are built in a way that allows vehicles to cross into a lane where they can make right or left ramp turns to where they want to go. There will be two sets of stop lights on CR 120, but they will be very short-lasting lights since there will be no conflicting traffic coming from the other way.

In addition, there will be a pedestrian walkway connecting east and west, It will be built separately from the roadways and protected by a walkway barrier from any traffic. Pedestrians and bikers will still have to cross at the stoplights on CR 120, however. The speed limit on CR 120 will be set at 30 mph.

The pedestrian walkway at the interchange will be “very safe,” Dumont told the council and audience members. Someone from the audience expressed concerns about how difficult traffic is at the Connecticut Avenue area. Dumont acknowledged that area is problematic. However, there are plans to ease traffic at that area so there will be a right-turn-only onto CR 120 from Connecticut Avenue. A roundabout on CR 120 will allow motorists to circle right around and then go east to Hennen’s Furniture and/or Hwy. 15.

The closest divergent diamond to Minnesota is currently located in Missouri, Dumont noted. There are others in Utah and 12 in the American Southwest. There has been a 50 percent reduction in traffic accidents where divergent diamonds have been built, Dumont said.

Council members expressed a keen interest in the project. All of them are well aware of the heavy traffic in that area. Council member Steve Hennes said the interchange will definitely improve the situation, especially in conjunction with St. Cloud’s east-west corridor reconstruction (in the Veterans’ Drive area). That project is just now wrapping up after traffic disruptions for many months.

Part of the divergent diamond project is within the St. Cloud City limits, but most of it is within the Sartell boundary, at the Epic Center area.