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Sandra Yi reporting Davis County commuters get their patience tested when a big construction project hits an unexpected roadblock.
Highway 89 was closed all morning, much to the surprise of commuters. And parts of highway 89 are still closed.
Part of the problem is construction crews were installing a sewer line and dug a trench, only to see it begin to collapse.
It looked like rush hour-- at noon.
Chris Lloyd/Driver: "NOBODY LIKES TO GET STUCK IN TRAFFIC FOR A LONG TIME, THAT'S FOR SURE."
But drivers in Davis County had a tough morning commute as a construction project on highway 89 hit a roadblock.
Tom Hudachko/UDOT: "AND THIS IS REALLY WHERE WE HAD THE MAJORITY OF OUR PROBLEMS THIS MORNING. YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE ASPHALT STOPS AND THE ROAD BASE BEGINS. ABOUT 20 FEET WIDE."
Crews installing a sewer line ran into trouble when a 10 foot trench sloughed on some unstable soil and expanded.
Workers would have to tear up the asphalt and repave.
Tom Hudachko/UDOT: "WE'RE STILL HAVING SOME PROBLEMS WITH THE TRENCH HERE WHERE YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THE PRESSURE IS RELIEVED AND WE'VE GOT SOME CRACKING IN THE ASPHALT HERE."
The problem, though unexpected, caused major headaches and delays for drivers who had no idea the highway was shut down.
It was supposed to reopen at 5 am.
Chris Lloyd/Driver: "OH, IT WAS ABOUT A HALF HOUR DELAY."
By 10:00 this morning only one southbound lane would open to traffic.
Jennifer Cate/Traffic Specialist: "UP IN DAVIS COUNTY, WE STILL HAVE THAT DETOUR."
All northbound lanes are still closed, leaving commuters to think again about the drive home.
Trever Breuhn/Driver: "THEY HAVEN'T POSTED IT OR ANYTHING SO I DIDN'T KNOW THAT IT WAS CLOSED OFF UNTIL JUST NOW WHEN I GOT HERE. SO I'VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET HOME COMING THE BACK WAY."
Gary Birell/Driver: "NOBODY KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON." "SO WAS IT FRUSTRATING?" "VERY FRUSTRATING, VERY FRUSTRATING."
Chris Lloyd/Driver: "I'M NOT GOING TO BE TAKING IT TONIGHT."
Highway 89 northbound lanes will be closed until tomorrow morning at 5. The detour is at the Farmington exit. If you take Main Street, you can get back on 89 at Cherry Hill.
If you're heading north, you can stay on I-15 and take the Kaysville exit.
A reminder that Lagoon Drive is also closed.
UDOT says this project will help ease traffic in Davis County, so the headaches now will be worth it in the long run.
