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PROVO, Utah (AP) -- The Utah Highway Patrol has counted 19 crashes since northbound Interstate 15 bridge reconstruction began July 6 between Spanish Fork and Springville.
"Most of those crashes, some type of an injury has been reported," UHP Lt. Bruce Riches said.
Riches said the accidents were on northbound I-15 from mile marker 257 in Spanish Fork to mile marker 253 in Benjamin, the point where the traffic has been backed up in the delays.
The Utah Department of Transportation is fixing three bridges between Spanish Fork Main Street and Springville 400 South. Crews started on the north side and will move to the south side Tuesday.
The main reason for the high number of crashes in the construction area is the backed up traffic, said Geoff Dupaix, a UDOT spokesman. Drivers aren't prepared for traffic to stop because they can't see the construction. They come to the backup surprised or distracted and react.
The view is obstructed on the northbound side because overpasses cross city streets and obstruct the view of what's ahead.
Dupaix said there will likely be fewer accidents with construction on southbound I-15.
"You've got much more sight distance, and you're able to see for a longer distance than you could northbound," he said.
The most serious of the 19 crashes was on Tuesday. Richard Kunzler, 38, of Payson was critically injured and was flown to University Hospital in Salt Lake City.
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Information from: The Daily Herald, http://www.heraldextra.com
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
