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SALT LAKE CITY — UDOT announced Monday that they plan to widen I-15 to six lanes from Lehi to Draper.
Each day, more than 150,000 motorists drive that particular stretch on the freeway, totaling around one million a week.
"It's critical that we get those extra lanes built, and move people more efficiently through that area," said project manager, Tim Rose.
That's good news long-term, but it will mean another I- 15 construction zone to deal with starting the summer of 2014. I-15 The Point will widen the interstate to six lanes in each direction on the seven-mile stretch between SR 92 in Lehi and 12300 South in Draper. The $247 million state-funded project will also replace the bridge at 14600 South.
That stretch of I-15 is the last big stretch of the interstate on the Wasatch Front that has not been rebuilt in the last 15 years. However, it's a section where traffic jams occur, and pavement buckles.
"This pavement is over 50 years old, and it's time to replace it," Rose said.
Heat caused the pavement to buckle during the summer, and it has happened several times over the years. Rose said that kind of repair is expensive, and slows traffic.
"We had several pavement blowups, which is what we call them," Rose said. "The pavement was out of room to expand. The expansion joints all filled up with sediment over the years. When it gets hot, the pavement can't expand anymore, and it blows up."
Despite the pavement being a half-century old, it's held up pretty well with patches from time to time, Rose said. UDOT plans to put down another 50-year pavement.
Rose also said they expect to have a designer\builder under contract by April, and construction on the two-year project will start next summer.
UDOT said it will only close lanes overnight, and other times when traffic is light.
"The biggest challenge for this project is those 150,000 motorists, keeping the traffic flowing during construction," Rose said. "We will plan on zero lane closures during peak hours."
