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Jed Boal ReportingSummer road construction is at full speed across the state. UDOT is working on literally hundreds of projects stateside; several may impact your work or vacation plans.
At about this time every week many people are headed out of town for the weekend. In years past, construction caused delays, but it's a different summer on the Wasatch Front. Road construction is a constant in and around our communities. One project ends, another begins. The orange barrels are never far away.
Brent Wilhite, UDOT: "We maintain six thousand miles of roads. It's important that those roads are at peak capacity. We have to constantly address to make sure we maintain what we have."
In the Salt Lake Valley construction is actually not as problematic for motorists as it has been in recent years.
Brent Wilhite: "Last year we had construction north, south, east, west in the valley. This year it's not as bad."
The 66-million dollar SR 201 expansion is the biggest dig right now. Crews will add one lane in each direction, rebuild the Redwood Road interchange and widen Redwood Road.
Brent Wilhite: "It's going to be really nice when it's completed. We've tried to stay off it during the day, with only some overnight restrictions."
Traffic has outgrown the highway. UDOT expects the expansion to handle the demand for the next 25 years. They'll finish next winter.
Utah County was overdue for a wider I-15. Crews will add an HOV lane in each direction from the Alpine Interchange to University Parkway. That 42-million dollar project will wrap up in a year.
As for Legacy Parkway into Davis County, UDOT expects a final decision in December. If it gets the go-ahead on the revised plan UDOT could begin construction next spring and complete the Parkway in 2008.
