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Big changes to I-80 will make your commute easier, eventually. But before that can happen, closures will make things messy.
The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) plans to close eastbound and westbound lanes from 11:00 tonight until 2 p.m. Sunday. But they say it will all be worth it tomorrow when drivers can travel on a smooth, brand new road.
From two lanes to one, to none; that's what's happening on I-80 tonight. "We're going to untie the old portion of I-80 to the newly-paved portion," explained UDOT spokesman Adan Carrillo.
Tonight crews are closing the interstate from State Street to 1300 East so they can make that shift.
"They're going to be moving a large wall. They're going to restripe," Carrillo said.
Then tomorrow afternoon, drivers will head down the brand new road. It will be the first time in more than a year that northernmost lanes of I-80 have been open.
"I can see it being really well when it's done. I can see it being an awesome, wonderful highway," driver Brad Beck said.
As traffic shifts, there will be ramp closures. The State Street westbound off-ramp will stay closed through late fall. East- and westbound on-ramps at 700 East will remain closed, and the westbound on-ramp from southbound 1300 East will reopen Sunday -- but northbound will be closed.
They're just several more changes for drivers to keep in mind.
For more information on the traffic shift and ramp closures, click the related link to the right of the story.
E-mail: sdallof@ksl.com
