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Layton • State Rep. Steve Handy says the No. 1 campaign issue for decades for all candidates in the Layton area was to improve the congested Interstate 15 interchange at Hill Field Road near Layton Hills Mall.

That long-awaited $38 million project — with an unconventional and somewhat controversial design — is now officially complete, and state and city officials celebrated with an on-site ceremony on Wednesday.

The Utah Department of Transportation says that before the project, the short drive between Layton's Main Street and the mall averaged more than 10 minutes. It says that has been cut in half, and congestion has been reduced in all directions.

"The Layton Hills Mall interchange I think is the busiest interchange in northern Utah, and maybe in all of Utah," said Sen. Stuart Adams, R-Layton. He said the new design "moves traffic more efficiently and better."

But it uses, in part, a "ThrU Turn," or "Michigan U-Turn," design that has been controversial. Similar designs at 12300 South at I-15 in Draper and at 5400 South and 4015 West in Kearns were blamed for killing nearby businesses by complicating access.

The design does not allow left turns at some major intersections on Hill Field Road. Instead, cars must proceed straight through them, make U-turns at special signals, return to the main intersection and turn right.

On top of that, the new design incorporates a "single-point urban interchange" at I-15 and Hill Field Road. It replaces what had been two intersections with signals on both sides of the freeway with essentially one signaling system and one intersection beneath the freeway to speed traffic. Also some widening and new bridges were part of the project.

Carlos Braceras, executive director of the Utah Department of Transportation, said the new ThrU Turns "are working well. The businesses are the ones who are seeing that they are saving time" by speeding trips.

"When people first use them, they are so different," Braceras acknowledges. "People have a hard time going past where they think they are supposed to turn. But they were doing that anyway" because of long lines for left turns in previous congestion.

Braceras said Hill Field Road and its I-15 interchange long posed some unique problems, and UDOT worked with Layton and local businesses to craft a unique solution.

"There are still a few who are questioning whether the ThrU Turns are going to work," said Layton Mayor Bob Stevenson. "But I think as time goes by, everyone is going to find this is absolutely a wonderful project. And I won't be surprised to see in the future that it becomes a model for other places in the state."

Rep. Brad Wilson, R-Kaysville, said even though his business is near the interchange, "I would just loathe coming over there because it was so hard to get around." He said the project vastly improved traffic.

Sen. Jerry Stevenson, R-Layton, said it should benefit shoppers headed for Layton Hills Mall and other area businesses. "When traffic flows, sales tax flows."

Officials buried a time capsule at the interchange on Wednesday. It included a dollar bill to represent its economic impact; a watch to represent time savings; glasses to show the project has vision; a keystone to represent community support; and photos of the project.