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TAYLORSVILLE — The leaves are popping, birds are chirping and the blossoms are about to peak, and Utahns know what that means: Construction season is upon us.
Yes, spring's return means crews are able to get back to work on transportation projects all over Utah. The Utah Department of Transportation says there are 217 construction projects totaling $3.2 billion happening this year on roadways across the state.
"This is one of our biggest construction years — with major projects happening all across the state," said Lisa Wilson, the agency's deputy director for engineering and operations.
With many projects either continuing or beginning this year, UDOT officials are also asking drivers to slow down and be careful around work zones.
UDOT's biggest projects in 2023
UDOT officials spoke about their major 2023 projects at a construction site where crews are working on an $8.5 million project to widen Redwood Road at the center of Salt Lake County. Workers are widening the road from 6200 South to the I-215 interchange, while also adding lanes to the eastbound and westbound on-ramps to I-215.
It's one of the state's larger projects this year but certainly not the largest. The ongoing $750 million West Davis Highway project remains the most expensive endeavor UDOT is working on this year. The new 16-mile highway from Farmington to West Point is about 70% complete as it enters its third year of construction. It's still on pace to open in 2024.
UDOT is about two-thirds complete with its I-80 and I-215 Renewed Project that also began in 2021. The agency swapped out an aging bridge at 1300 East in Salt Lake City over the weekend, one of the largest remaining milestones in the overall scheme of things. Project leaders told KSL.com last week that all of the lanes in the area could be reopened by the end of this year.
As for projects new to 2023, UDOT plans to start work on four new freeway-style interchanges on Bangerter Highway. The $378.5 million project would add new interchanges at 2700 West, 13400 South, 9800 South and 4700 South in Salt Lake City, replacing the old stoplights that currently exist in those locations.
It follows similar intersection projects completed in recent years, as the highway slowly becomes more of a freeway.
Other major projects that have either started or will begin later this year include:
- A $238 million project to reconstruct the 5600 South interchange on I-15 in Roy. Crews will also widen 5600 South from 1900 West to 3500 West while adding a new trail system for bikes and pedestrians.
- A $73.6 million project to build a new I-15 interchange at Main Street in the city of Washington. A new freeway lane in each direction will also be added in the area.
- A $71 million project to widen state Route 108 between West Point and Clinton. A new mutiuse path will also be constructed in the area.
- A $56.6 million project to widen 9000 South between 700 West and Redwood Road, which is primarily in West Jordan.
- A $17.8 million project to replace the driving surface at two I-15 bridges in Juab County, while making repairs the nine other bridges in the area.
- A $13.3 million project to build new passing lanes on U.S. 191 north of Moab, which will help drivers access the recently-designated Utahraptor State Park.
UDOT urges drivers to be cautious in work zones
Meanwhile, UDOT officials and those they are working with urge drivers to slow down and be cautious around any of the work zones. Their message comes after there were nearly 1,300 work zone-related crashes in Utah last year, including 11 fatalities.
"I think the motoring public can't imagine what it is like to be separated from traffic that is going 50 to ... 90 mph by just an orange barrel. It is pretty scary, actually," said Gary Hatch, the director of safety for Geneva Rock Products, the company contracted to work on the Redwood Road expansion in Taylorsville.
Wilson said the agency will do "everything we can to make our work zones as safe as possible" but drivers also need to play a role in workplace safety. Speeding violations in a highway construction or maintenance site where workers are present can result in a fine that's at least double the normal rate, per Utah code,
