UDOT crews are widening roads, maintaining bridges and repaving existing highways around the state
Summer is here and with it comes traffic snarls as the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) ramps up construction on 209 projects with a value of $2.74 billion.
UDOT reminds motorists to plan ahead and stay informed, as these projects will require lane closures, detours and new traffic patterns while under construction. Planned improvements range from repaving rural highways to building freeway-style interchanges and widening, repaving, demolishing and building bridges. Projects also include several new trails and improved pedestrian access and safety improvements. The traffic delays from these projects range from overnight lane restrictions to full road closures with major detours.
“These projects are part of our commitment to helping people get where they want, in the way they want, safely and efficiently,” said Lisa Wilson, UDOT deputy director of engineering and operations. “This includes building new projects to help meet growth demands, maintaining our aging roads and bridges and building out our transportation network to accommodate drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists.”
Wilson said because Utah is one of the fastest-growing states in the country, UDOT is continually looking for ways to meet current and future transportation needs while maintaining the existing highway system in good condition.
Some of the major projects — and their cost — that may cause aggravation to drivers this summer include:
Mountain View Corridor: Salt Lake and Utah counties — $466 million.
This project will connect Mountain View Corridor from Porter Rockwell Boulevard with 2100 North in Lehi, providing another transportation option for northwest Utah County and southwest Salt Lake County drivers. It will be the first section of Mountain View Corridor constructed as a freeway with no stoplights. Additional work includes upgrading the intersection at 2100 North to an interchange, updating wildlife fencing, and creating a multi-use trail. The Mountain View Corridor will eventually be a 35-mile freeway from I-80 in Salt Lake County to SR-73 in Utah County. Construction is expected to last through early 2026.
Salt Lake County Bridges: Salt Lake County — $23.2 million.
Crews will extend the life of 20 bridges throughout Salt Lake County with several rehabilitation projects. This includes bridges over I-80, Bangerter Highway, Redwood Road, SR-201 and SR-202. Later this summer, crews will demolish the two bridge decks on SR-201 at 3200 West and replace them with new, smoother driving surfaces. Drivers should expect delays of more than 30 minutes on SR-201, as traffic will be detoured off and back on the highway via the 3200 West on- and off-ramps. 3200 West is scheduled to be closed for approximately six months during construction.
I-15 Shepard Lane interchange: Davis County — $147.5 million.
Crews will build a new interchange on I-15 at Shepard Lane in Farmington to reduce congestion and improve safety in this area. Not only will it cross over Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) and Utah Transit Authority (UTA) tracks to create another connection to local roads, this project will also improve pedestrian and bike connectivity along Park Lane and the ramps associated with I-15, US-89 and Legacy Parkway (SR-67). Construction is expected to be completed in 2026.
Energy Corridor: San Juan County — $116.9 million.
UDOT will be laying 54 miles of pavement to cover the lengths of both SR-162 and SR-262 in southeastern Utah, including a more in-depth reconstruction of a 9-mile section between Montezuma Creek and Aneth. UDOT partnered with the Navajo Nation to secure a Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects Grant to help fund the project. Crews will also replace the McElmo bridge, add rumble strips, widen the shoulders of the road and replace guardrail, among other improvements. This project serves tourists traveling to Bears Ears, Four Corners and Hovenweep National Monuments and workers serving the petroleum extraction industry in the region.
SR-30: Cache County — $61 million.
UDOT will reconstruct SR-30 from SR-23 to 1000 West in Logan to improve traffic flow and enhance safety for drivers. Crews will widen SR-30 to four lanes and increase the shoulder width and add an Advanced Warning System and new lighting to enhance safety at the intersection of SR-30 and SR-23. In addition, a new recreational trail will be constructed along the south side of SR-30, and a sidewalk will be built on the north side.
I-15 1600 S/2700 North interchange, Utah County — $133 million.
UDOT is constructing a new interchange on I-15 at 1600 South/2700 North, realigning adjacent frontage roads and improving 1600 South/2700 North from Main Street in Spanish Fork to State Street (SR-51) in Springville. The project will alleviate congestion on mainline I-15, the 400 South interchange in Springville and on US-6 in Spanish Fork and improve safety on 1600 South/2700 North for walking, biking and driving.
5600 South: Weber County — $361 million.
Crews are in the middle of major construction of a new I-15 interchange at 5600 South in Roy that will make it easier to get to and from Hill Air Force Base. The project is also widening 5600 South three to five lanes from I-15 to 3500 West. UDOT will also add new sidewalks, pedestrian ramps and a new trail system for pedestrians and cyclists. These improvements will help area residents get around more easily, whether they are walking, biking or driving. Construction is expected to continue through 2026.
I-215 Frontage Road: Salt Lake County — $32 million.
UDOT will build a new frontage road next to southbound I-215 from 4100 South to 4700 South in Taylorsville to improve connectivity and keep traffic moving in this area. An east-west road will also be built, connecting the frontage road to 2700 West. As part of the project, UDOT will also improve a nearby walking trail.
Bangerter Highway, Salt Lake County — $415.3 million.
Major construction will ramp up this year as crews build four new freeway-style interchanges with on- and off-ramps at 2700 West, 13400 South, 9800 South and 4700 South, eliminating stoplights at four more intersections for drivers on Bangerter Highway. To prepare for interchange construction on 4700 South, the Jordan Valley Water Conservancy aqueduct will be relocated. Major construction is expected to last through the end of 2025.
Enhanced Freeway Lane Striping, Salt Lake, Davis, Tooele, Utah and Summit counties — $26 million.
The Enhanced Freeway Striping project is replacing lane markings along the Wasatch Front freeways with new, wider lines designed for high visibility and reflectivity and using contrast striping, which includes a white line followed by a black line (known as a “tiger tail” and helpful for autonomous vehicle sensors and cameras) for the lines between lanes. Crews will wrap up work in Utah County and start adding new lane striping in Salt Lake, Davis, Tooele and Summit. The project is expected to continue throughout 2024.
“We’ve planned this work to minimize inconvenience for drivers and residents, but we want everyone to be aware that there will be delays, restrictions and changes to your daily commute and other travels,” Wilson said.
Wilson also reminded drivers that construction schedules are weather-dependent and subject to change. Information on traffic restrictions during construction is available at the UDOT Traffic website or on the UDOT Traffic app for iPhone or Android.