UDOT suspending project construction this weekend to aid air show traffic

By Carter Williams, KSL.com | Posted - June 27, 2024 at 7:00 p.m.

Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes

ROY — Utah transportation officials say they will suspend work on a new I-15 interchange at 5600 South in Roy this weekend to help accommodate projected travel for Hill Air Force Base's Warriors Over the Wasatch air show, but they say drivers should be prepared to deal with delays.

While construction will be suspended, Utah Department of Transportation spokesman John Gleason said drivers will still notice reduced speed limits in the construction zone and some lane shifts in place. He explained the agency made the decision because it doesn't want to add any extra "delays or stress" to what will likely exist on the roads surrounding Hill Air Force Base as the air show takes place Saturday and Sunday.

"There's a lot of construction happening up there. We've been at it every weekend. We're going to take a break from that so a lot of people can get to and from the air show without any extra problems," he said. "You're already looking at major delays getting up to Hill Air Force Base. ... It's something that takes a lot of time every year and it's no longer a well-kept secret."

UDOT traffic engineers will also monitor traffic and will adjust "nearby signals to help traffic flow into the base," the agency added in a statement.

Since there's limited parking by the base, the agency is also recommending that people carpool or consider riding Utah Transit Authority buses or FrontRunner. UTA previously announced that it will operate FrontRunner on Sunday, something it normally doesn't do.

But drivers traveling north for the event could find some additional project delays, especially in Salt Lake County. UDOT crews are still planning to carry out three projects this weekend:

I-80 will be reduced to one lane in each direction near the mouth of Parleys Canyon every night through Sunday while crews complete paving and striping work. I-215 and I-80 ramps could also be closed at points.
Northbound I-15 will be reduced to one lane near 6400 South in Murray during weekend nights while crews improve bridges in the area. These lane reductions may begin as early as 8 p.m.
Northbound I-15 collector-distributor ramps near 9000 South in Sandy will also be closed as early as 11 p.m. on Saturday for line striping work. Drivers won't be able to access I-215 while the ramps are closed overnight into early Sunday morning.

Gleason said people coming back from the air show, or other day trips, could be impacted by these projects. Each could cause big travel delays.