At $1M a day, I-15 project is rolling

Sandy • The massive Interstate 15 Corridor Expansion project under way in Utah County is now spending $1 million a day and has more than 1,200 people working on it.

Todd Jensen, assistant project director, gave that update Thursday to the Utah Transportation Committee, and said the overhaul is on track for scheduled completion in 2012 — and perhaps a bit sooner because of good weather and hard work.

The project will build 55 bridges, rebuild or reconfigure 10 interchanges, add two lanes in each direction along 24 miles between Lehi and Spanish Fork and extend express lanes from Orem to Spanish Fork.

Jensen said Provo River Constructors — which won the $1.1 billion contract — and its subcontractors have 875 workers on the project now, supported by 250 administrative staff.

He said the Utah Department of Transportation also has 18 employees overseeing the project, supported by 100 consultants checking design and work quality.

Jensen said the project, which began construction this year, has placed 2.7 million tons of fill material so far, laid 7.8 miles of pipeline for drainage and built 50,846 square feet of retaining walls. It also has 21 bridges under construction and has laid 17 lane miles of pavement.

The overall project, he said, is about 16 percent complete.

Jensen noted the operation also is using some innovative techniques that should improve quality, minimize traffic delays and reduce costs.

For example, UDOT again is building some bridges to the side of the freeway, and then will transport the entire, completed bridge into place. Not only will that reduce the traffic disruptions, UDOT Executive Director John Njord said, but it also allows bridge concrete to cure without being affected by traffic vibration — which should produce a stronger bridge.

Contractors also are tapping GPS satellite technology to guide grading and paving, instead of older techniques that used stakes and wires and required much larger crews.

ldavidson@sltrib.com —

More money, more projects

The Utah Transportation Committee decided Thursday to add $100 million worth of road projects during the next two years because bids have been coming in lower than expected — and because the federal government gave the state more highway money than expected.

Among highway upgrades added:

State Street in Orem from 2000 North to Geneva Road

University Parkway in Provo from State Street to 800 East

U.S. 40 from mile markers 59.7 to 61.1 and 89.4 to 93

1000 West in Logan

State Road 10 from Ferron to Rock Creek