Major ramp closes as UDOT prepares to install I-80 bridge

Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes

This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.

Team coverageMore big changes are coming to I-80 that could add time and trouble to your commute.

Drivers may already be noticing the commute along I-80 is even more challenging as the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) enters another construction phase. Crews are preparing to install a new bridge this weekend.

Starting Monday, the commonly traveled I-80 westbound on-ramp from 1300 East closed. That makes two closed on-ramps in the immediate area. It will definitely be an inconvenience, but UDOT is asking people to be patient.

The early stages of major renovation between State Street and 1300 East are coming along bit by bit. When it's all said and done, drivers will see more lanes, new bridges, new pavement and retaining and sound walls.

Major ramp closes as UDOT prepares to install I-80 bridge

"We still have about another year and a half of construction," said UDOT spokesman Adan Carrillo. He says the difficult commute could get worse before it gets better.

Throughout the summer, bridges that are being built on the north side of I-80 at 1300 East will be put into place one by one.

They're building, moving and installing seven separate bridges along I-80 in just a few months. Carrillo said, "Yes, there might be inconvenience in a short period of time, but there is less doing it this way than if we were to do it conventionally."

Saturday, the first of the bridges -- custom-made for the Highland Drive overpass -- will go into place. The bridge will be placed on self-propelled modular transports -- a kind of roller -- and "driven" up the existing ramp, across 1300 East, down the ramp and into place at Highland Drive.

Using a system of metal "skis," the bridge is slid into place. A series of jacks will gently lower the span into place, where it will be attached permanently.

This means the westbound on-ramp from 1300 East is closed.

"We're going to be utilizing it as a ramp to drive these bridges on to I-80 and put them into place," Carrillo said.

The on-ramp will remain closed until the end of summer; as will the on-ramp at 700 East, which has already been closed due to the project. This means drivers will have to restructure their commute. Anyone in the Sugar House area looking to get on I-80 will have to enter at State Street, 2300 East or Foothill Drive.

It may be an inconvenience for some, but UDOT says new technology will lighten the impact. "It's a very innovative technology that we're using this year. We're placing 20 bridges total across the state. Twelve of those are actually along the I-80 area and I-215," Carrillo said. "The delays are very, very minimal in comparison to the ways we were replacing these bridges in conventional methods."

The entire I-80 project won't be completed until fall of 2009, and there will be more changes along the way.

UDOT has a Web site with up-to-date information. You can get their by clicking the related link.

E-mail: wjohnson@ksl.com
E-mail: mrichards@ksl.com
E-mail: rpiatt@ksl.com