This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Think of the busiest road construction year in memory. Guess what? The state will be doing even more this summer.
"This is a really big construction year for us. We're going to be completing more projects this year than we ever have before in terms of volume and size," said John Njord, executive director of the Utah Department of Transportation.
"With completion of these projects, you'll see less of us out there in future years," he said about finishing such big multi-year projects as reconstruction of Interstate 15 in Utah County and finishing the first phase of the new Mountain View Corridor in western Salt Lake County. "We're going to have a lot of great products when we're complete."
UDOT is releasing on Thursday its guide for summer construction to help motorists plan trips and know where to expect delays. A copy is available online at sltrib.com, listing the top 20 projects affecting traffic this summer.
Overall, Njord said, UDOT will have about 200 projects statewide.
Updated construction information throughout the season will be available at http://www.udot.utah.gov. Officials are also promoting the free downloadable "UDOT Traffic" application for smartphones, offering updated information on construction, accidents and weather conditions.
Njord said the biggest project — and the one likely to cause the most traffic snarls — is the ongoing I-15 reconstruction from Lehi to Spanish Fork.
"That project is 70 percent done, but we have 30 percent yet to do this year — and there will be lane restrictions," he said. That will affect most people traveling to and from southern Utah, "and I know southern Utah is Utah's playground."
The project is scheduled to be completed in December.
Njord also touted expected completion later this year of a first phase of the Mountain View Corridor — at about 5600 West, running between 16000 South and 5400 South in Salt Lake County. It has less effect on traffic, because it is being built largely in fields, although it affects many crossroads.
"We're excited to deliver a brand new highway," he said.
Mountain View's first phase will essentially complete the frontage roads for a yet-to-be-built freeway along that corridor. Future phases will stretch that roadway north to Interstate 80.
"That will be a landmark project," Njord said.
Among other projects of note are:
I-84, Mountain Green to Morgan • Traffic will be limited to one lane in each direction and wide loads will be limited for reconstruction there.
I-80, Salt Lake City to the Wyoming border • Multiple projects along that stretch will replace bridges, add climbing lanes and improve road surfaces. Lane restrictions will come throughout the project.
I-15, 10600 South to 600 North in Salt Lake County • Nighttime work will bring lane reductions, reduced speeds and ramp closures for repairs to concrete.
I-15, Clearfield to Roy • Nighttime lane closures and other work are expected to create moderate congestion to add new acceleration/deceleration lanes and improve pavement.
5400 South, Kearns and Taylorsville • Adding new lanes and creating the state's first "flex lanes"— which will switch traffic directions during the day — will bring lane restrictions and closures.
Bangerter Highway, West Jordan to Riverton • Lane closures will come as a new grade-separated interchange is added at 7800 South and a new continuous-flow interchange is added at 13400 South.
U.S. 6, Spanish Fork Canyon • Single lane closures will cause expected delays of up to 15 minutes for pavement work.
All together, Njord said, projects this summer "will be delivering 171 lane miles of reconstructed or rehabilitated roadways."
Orange cone alert
The Utah Department of Transportation says it will complete more highway projects than ever this summer. Among some expected to affect traffic the most are:
I-15, Lehi to Spanish Fork • Reconstruction is expected to be completed in December to add two lanes, but delays are expected all summer.
Mountain View Corridor • The first phase of a new highway about 5600 West from 16000 South to 5400 South should be completed.
I-80, from Salt Lake City to the Wyoming border • Projects will replace bridges, add climbing lanes and improve road surfaces.
I-15, 10600 South to 600 North in Salt Lake County • Nighttime work will bring lane restrictions, reduced speed and ramp closures for repair to concrete.
I-84, Mountain Green to Morgan • Traffic will be limited to one lane in each direction and wide loads will be limited for reconstruction there.
Source: UDOT