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Randall JeppesenA new type of overpass that has never been built in the United States will soon be under construction in Utah County.
It's called a diverging diamond interchange. It's on an overpass that crosses lanes of traffic in a way so there are only two stoplight signal phases instead of the regular three or four.
UDOT's Scott Thompson said, "It's going to be a lot safer, it's going to take less time to build, it will be less expensive, it's going to require less right-of-way."
Thompson says once drivers learn how it works, people will be able to drive through it quicker than most overpasses.
This overpass will be built on American Fork Main Street, connecting the new east-west Lehi road. The overpass should be finished in early 2010. UDOT officials indicate that plans for the upcoming I-15 reconstruction in Utah County will likely include several diverging diamond interchanges.
Major construction efforts on Pioneer Crossing probably will begin in January. The first phase of Pioneer Crossing, from Redwood Road to 300 East in Lehi, will be open by November 2009, with additional - though incomplete - access available from 300 East all the way over the interchange to American Fork Main Street.
E-mail: rjeppesen@ksl.com
