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SALT LAKE CITY — Officials' preferred vision for U.S. 89 in Davis and Weber counties calls for a six-lane, limited-access roadway that could eliminate numerous existing homes and businesses in a decades-long effort to alleviate a growing traffic congestion problem.
The Utah Department of Transportation released Thursday a draft environmental study that details the preferred alternative development plan for the approximately $275 million reconstruction of the U.S. 89 corridor from Farmington to I-84 in Uintah in Weber County.
"If we don't make any improvements, we're looking at travel times increasing upward of 50 minutes to get from Farmington to I-84 on a daily basis," said UDOT project manager Mike Romero. "It's just (because of) the increasing traffic volumes we're seeing along the roadway."
UDOT noted that if constructed as currently proposed, the new highway would allow drivers to travel between Davis and South Weber much faster and more efficiently. However, without some major upgrades in the near future, traffic conditions will worsen.
Among the challenges confronting the agency with the plan is the potential removal of 27 residential and commercial properties from Shepherd Lane in Farmington to I-84, he noted. If the proposal is approved by year's end, construction would still be a long way off, he said.
"As we move forward, our ultimate goal is to have (project) document signed by the middle or the end of November," Romero said. "We wouldn't be looking to start until the spring of 2019."
The last major upgrade on the highway was completed in 1970, when the roadway became what it is today — four lanes with a middle turning lane and center median. Since then, traffic on the road has increased from 10,000 cars per day to 23,300 cars daily in 1990. UDOT estimated average traffic on the road at around 37,000 vehicles now and that volume is expected to climb to near 50,000 vehicles in the next few years.
The segment of U.S. 89 from its cutoff at Farmington near Lagoon north to its I-84 junction at the Davis-Weber county line has been the focus of several studies, scores of public hearings and spirited debates over its future for nearly 30 years.
Proposals to revamp the heavily traveled roadway began in late 1988 when public officials in the Davis Council of Governments, concerned over what they thought was a high traffic-fatality rate on the nearly 10-mile stretch, called for a safety study. Over the years, the preferred alternative was determined after more than 40 concepts underwent an extended screening process to evaluate the most feasible, environmentally responsible and comprehensively addressed concerns raised by the public, Romero explained.
"The preferred alternative is to convert Highway 89 into a limited access freeway with interchanges located at 400 North in Kaysville, Oak Hills Drive, Gordon Avenue and Antelope Drive located in Layton," he said. "It'll have interchanges instead of intersections, improve safety along the corridor and improve the (traffic) flow along the corridor as well."
While UDOT has its preferred plan, there is still time for local residents to weigh in on the matter, he said. The public comment period runs from Monday through Sept. 25.
UDOT will also hold a public hearing on Sept. 7 to obtain public comment on the environmental study draft. The hearing is scheduled to take place from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Davis Conference Center in Layton.
“The main purpose of the public hearing is to provide clarity on the preferred alternative as well as to gather public input,” Romero said. “Members of the project team will be available at the hearing to answer any questions.”
For those unable to attend the hearing, the public is encouraged to review the US-89 State Environmental Study draft, and to make comments through the study website, via email to us89@utah.gov or by phone at 888-752-US89 (8789).
Comments may also be mailed to: The US-89 State Environmental Study, c/o FrontLine Public Involvement, P.O. Box 1033, Farmington, UT 84025.
