Utah’s road construction has been the butt of many jokes over the years. Comedian Jeff Foxworthy described our state’s road construction as a season, paired with winter and almost winter being the only other options. We even have a road construction joke explained on Urban Dictionary. But all jokes aside, Utah’s road construction means growth throughout the state, creating a need for additions and expansion throughout our community. This year, we’ll see some more projects throughout the state, and here are few noteworthy ones from UDOT to list off (from the smallest budget to largest):
- S. 40 in Wasatch County: At just under $12 million, UDOT will replace sections of old pavement between the S.R. 32 and the Wasatch/Summit County junction line. Crews will also replace bridge driving surfaces over the Provo River. This project should be completed by 2023.
- Redwood Road in Salt Lake County: This $14.4 million project will add a new lane going northbound from 6200 South to the I-215 interchange. Crews will also rebuild the 6200 South intersection by adding a new continuous-flow left turn to the northbound lanes in addition to adding lanes and ramp meters to the eastbound and westbound I-215 on-ramps.
- R. 30 in Cache County: At $75 million, this project consists of reconstructing and rewidening of S.R. 30 in Cache County from the S.R. 23 junction to 1000 West in Logan. There will also be a new underpass at S.R. 23 (near Mendon).
- I-15 in Utah County: This $79.1 million project brings a new interchange between 400 South and Main Street in Springville. Crews will be widening 1600 South from Spanish Fork Main Street to S.R. 51.
- I-80 and I-215 in Salt Lake County: This $146.5 million project will remove existing pavement and replace it with new concrete. It encompasses I-80 from 1300 East to 2300 East and I-215 from 3300 South to 4500 South. A new eastbound land is also being added to this section of I-80 as well as a replacement or widening of four bridges.
- S. 89 in Davis County: This project is a whopping $473 million with UDOT widening U.S. 89 from four lanes to six lanes. It also involves removing stoplights between S.R. 193 in Layton and Main Street in Farmington. This year we will see four new interchanges, two new bridges over the highway, new frontage roads, new pedestrian underpasses, and multi-use trails and improvements.
- West Davis Highway in Davis County: Another massive project, this one comes in around $750 million. The project consists of a new 16-mile, four-lane divided highway through the west side of Davis County between I-15 in Farmington and the future extension of S.R. 193 in West Point. There will also be new access to Farmington, Kaysville, Layton, and Syracuse with six new interchanges as well as ten miles of new trails.
Love or hate road construction, it’s a necessary process in a state that is growing rapidly. Please drive slowly cautiously through these construction areas for the safety of the many employees and yourself.