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Randall Jeppessen ReportingIt is what you might call everyone's least favorite roadside decoration, a four foot barrel with a base filled with sand. But now that the snow is going away, at least we hope it's going away, UDOT Region three spokesman Jeff Dupai says it's road construction prime time.
First the Provo Center Street exit will have different on and off ramps closed for weeks at a time.
"This work is standard grade maintenance work and it needs to be done."
And for some people, the closures took them by surprise.
"I'm just frustrated it takes forever to get anywhere. You can't get on and off the freeway in under 15 minutes. If they're going to fix it they shoud really fix it and turn it into a great exit like new University Parkway exit is."
Once they finish here they'll do the same thing on the overpass leading to Spanish Fork canyon. But UDOT's Bethany Eller say the biggest slow down of the summer will take place further north.
"The biggest project we've got going on is the I-15 reconstruction in Ogden."
That starts at 31st street and heads to Pleasant View. Salt Lake County will see a lot of summer work on Redwood Road, but the interstate looks good. In several places there will be interstate resurfacing projects, but Dupai says most will be done at night.
"Otherwise the pavement deteriorates and we have to reconstruct, which costs more money and has much more of an impact to motorists and residents."
And we can't forget down in Nephi; starting this week, the interstate will be reduced to one lane in each direction for the next seven months.
So wherever you're driving this summer, happy trails and watch out for that one orange barrel that for some reason is always sitting out in the middle of the lane.
