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SANDY — As growth surges in southern Salt Lake County, the Utah Department of Transportation is gathering input on a proposed solution to a major congestion problem.
UDOT held an open house Wednesday night in Sandy to share its plans for the 10600 South I-15 interchange. With even more growth and more cars coming to the interchange, major improvements are in the planning stages for the section of roadway.
Allison Birrenkott is a resident among those in favor of the renovations.
"Ever since they built it, it's been a challenge,” she said.
Traffic regularly snarls in and around the 10600 South interchange.
UDOT wants to build an extra lane extending from the northbound off ramp and connect to Monroe Street to "help alleviate congestion and keep traffic flowing so people can get where they need to go," said UDOT project manager Lisa Zundel.
South Jordan City Economic Development Director Brian Preece added, “The more unbearable-type delay is during the commute hours, but it’s well-used all day long.”
UDOT believes one root of the problem is the traffic exiting I-15 northbound heading east.
It's extremely critical because east-west movement is a difficult thing all up and down the Wasatch Front.
–Brian Preece, South Jordan City Economic Development Director
"It impedes traffic. It slows traffic down when there's high volumes of people wanting to make a left turn into the businesses,” Zundel said. “It starts to back into the through lanes, so the through lanes get backed up as well as the left turn lanes."
Birrenkott, an area resident of 30 years, thinks UDOT should broaden the project to ease traffic for cars getting on northbound I-15.
"While we are still doing construction, make it flow a little bit better," she said. "If we are going to do one thing, let's do it all."
Some business owners are concerned about the negative impact of construction, but South Jordan City officials who came to the open house think the project will improve traffic flow in their community.
"It's extremely critical because east-west movement is a difficult thing all up and down the Wasatch Front,” said Preece.
The project is going through environmental checks right now, and UDOT plans to begin construction in spring of 2016.
