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SPANISH FORK — The Utah Department of Transportation is considering adding new interchanges to I-15 in Spanish Fork to accommodate traffic and anticipated growth.
UDOT project manager Darren Bunker presented to the Utah County Commission on the proposed interchanges during a work session Wednesday afternoon.
Bunker said the new interchanges would improve the safety and efficiency of I-15 access for all users and alleviate traffic issues in the community.
There is a four-mile gap between the 8000 South interchange and the U.S. 6 interchange in Spanish Fork. Bunker said typically, the Department of Transportation prefers two miles between interchanges.
UDOT estimates by 2050, another interchange will be crucial to handling the anticipated traffic that will come from growth in the community. If no changes are made, the Main Street and 8000 South exits will be overwhelmed during commuter hours and could cause delays on I-15, Bunker said.
Bunker said UDOT hopes the added interchanges will reduce congestion on Main Street south of I-15, which sees heavy north-south traffic in the morning and after work hours. With the anticipated growth, delays on Main Street could potentially triple in time length, he added.
Prospective locations of interchanges include 400 North, Center Street, 100 South, 900 South, "or a combination of different solutions," Bunker said.
The proposed interchanges are not set in stone. Bunker said the project is still in the early stages of development and the department is using traffic simulation models to dictate the best location for interchanges.
Officials are screening preliminary solutions, which will go through an evaluation determining the environmental and community impact. UDOT says it will assess if the interchanges have negative impacts on streams, wetlands and other natural factors, and take into account farmland, residents or businesses being relocated and public land such as historical buildings or parks being affected.
Bunker said part of the project will look at how to enhance the east-west connectivity across I-15 for bikers, pedestrians and drivers. He said there are narrow shoulders and a lack of sidewalks near the freeway that make it difficult for people to use the crossings on 400 North, 100 South and 900 South.
"It's unsafe and scary for pedestrians and some cyclists to use the existing crossings," Bunker said.
Better crossings are critical for the future of the community, especially for when the FrontRunner is extended and a future transit station is built on the west side of I-15, Bunker said. An environmental impact study is underway for the FrontRunner extension, but Bunker said its construction is inevitable.
A public comment period is open through Nov. 13 for anyone to give feedback to UDOT on the issues and potential solutions to traffic in Spanish Fork.
Bunker said once all possible solutions are screened and evaluated, and an environmental study is completed, he anticipates a decision will be made in fall 2024.
Commissioner Amelia Powers Gardner thanked Bunker and UDOT for being proactive with growth-related traffic issues.
"We appreciate you recognizing the extreme growth we are facing in Utah County and planning ahead for that growth so we don't end up with another four-hour rush hour area in the south part of the county like we face in the north part of the county," she said.
