Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
- UDOT seeks public feedback on the 2100 North freeway project in northwest Utah County.
- The project aims to alleviate congestion and aid in commuter transportation.
- Public comment is open until March 21; completion is expected by fall 2028.
LEHI — Anyone who has had to drive in Utah County's Pioneer Crossing or 2100 North during rush hour knows just how backed up and frustrating it can be. But the Utah Department of Transportation is hoping to change that by constructing a new freeway on 2100 North and implementing flex lanes along Pioneer Crossing.
UDOT is seeking feedback as it moves forward with multiple projects in northwest Utah County to improve transportation and alleviate congestion.
Project director Andrew Johnson called the improvements "critical" to address the high demand on the roads that increasingly can't handle all of the traffic.
"We feel like we got a good plan for the area, and we have heard from the residents. We are really trying to provide that all-users mentality and capacity for people to get to where they need to go," he said.
UDOT crews are building a bridge over Redwood Road to connect Mountain View Corridor to 2100 North as part of the larger project expanding Mountain View Corridor into an additional north-south freeway.
Starting in early 2026, UDOT will construct almost 3 miles of a six-lane freeway in the middle of the separated 2100 North highway. The existing roads will become frontage roads, used for local business and residential access.
With the massive amounts of growth in west Lehi, Saratoga Springs and Eagle Mountain, it's necessary for UDOT to try to keep up with the development and improve transportation routes between Salt Lake and Utah counties for commuters.
"It's going to be great access for the community as a whole, not just Lehi but for everyone else that has to travel east-west through northern Lehi," Wyatt Woolley, UDOT Region 3 communications manager, said Thursday during a public hearing at Liberty Hills Elementary.
Utah County Commissioner Amelia Powers Gardner said she is "really excited that it will increase the quality of life for so many people who will spend less time in their cars."
She expressed gratitude that UDOT will be using existing roads and increasing accessibility to Primary Children's Hospital. Although many will feel trepidation toward the ongoing construction, she compared it to labor pains — the "productive pain" is worth it in the end, she said.
The 2100 North freeway will go over the 3600 West crossing, then route underneath the 2300 West and railroad crossings.
Kenny Newbry lives in a house that backs up to 2100 North. He came to the open house Thursday to learn how the project will affect him and said he's glad the freeway will go under 2300 West, which is close to his home.
"On the whole, it looks like they've done a really good job of accommodating all of the existing residents, with a lot of improvements, and I'm not seeing a whole lot of negatives," he said.
Newbry said he tends to fear transportation projects because it's hard to know what will happen with them. He feels Lehi hasn't done a great job of planning ahead with infrastructure, so he is grateful UDOT is listening to feedback.
"It's good to see UDOT taking a lot more care about existing structures and how that's going to impact the people there," he said.
On the east end of 2100 North, new system-to-system interchanges will be constructed to connect the 2100 North freeway to I-15 through direct ramps in all directions. UDOT will also reconstruct and realign about 2 miles of the trail system through additional paths and a Jordan River crossing.
Johnson said changes to Pioneer Crossing — which include removing the raised center median, expanding the road to seven lanes and implementing flex lanes — should be copmleted before construction starts on 2100 North.
The flex lanes would result in four lanes moving in the direction of rush hour to alleviate delays during peak traffic, project manager Matt Parker said at the Lehi City Council meeting Tuesday. The speed limit on Pioneer Crossing would be lowered to 45 mph, and traffic signs would be included so drivers can always see which lanes are going which direction.
That project's completion will provide some relief to drivers while work is being done on 2100 North, Johnson said.
Several areas surrounding 2100 North were evaluated for noise walls, but the abatements were deemed too costly and didn't meet policy requirements, Johnson explained in the meeting Tuesday.
Dean Kezerian lives in one of the areas that didn't qualify. He came to the public hearing to voice his opinion on the sound wall's necessity as he can already see the cars on 2100 North from his kitchen window.
Kezerian said he is frustrated that a sound wall was considered warranted but won't be built because it's over the budget. He wishes there could be more creative solutions to finance the project so the noise abatement can still be implemented.
"I think it's a mixed bag tonight as I'm here. I felt heard and got some understanding, but the fight's definitely not over in my opinion," Kezerian said. "I am cautiously optimistic, but we gotta stay vigilant."
UDOT's public comment period on the 2100 North project lasts until March 21. Comment on Pioneer Crossing improvements will be March 21 to April 15, with a public hearing at Snow Springs Elementary on April 9 at 5 p.m.
UDOT anticipates the 2100 North freeway will be operating by the fall of 2028. Work on Pioneer Crossing is expected to be completed in 2026.
Additional information on all UDOT projects in northwest Utah County can be found on UDOT's website.
