UDOT

Commuters driving between Utah and Salt Lake County will likely experience less delay starting Monday, November 5.

That’s when UDOT’s I-15 CORE will open all travel lanes through the 24-mile project. Construction will continue until mid December, but the open lanes will provide better mobility through the corridor while workers complete landscaping, drainage, barrier construction, painting and other activities during off-peak times.

I-15 CORE is the fastest billion-dollar public highway project ever constructed in the U.S. – an impressive fete considering the project scope. From Lehi Main Street to the Spanish Fork River, crews have added two travel lanes in each direction, placed new concrete pavement, and rebuilt or replaced 63 bridges and 10 freeway interchanges in an unprecedented 35 months.

Contractor Provo River Constructors deserve credit for proceeding construction quickly. “They set an aggressive schedule and were prepared to meet it,” says John Butterfield, UDOT Materials and Pavement Engineer for the project. While good weather provided a backdrop, PRC was able to provide the resources and people necessary to move work forward.

Much of the work has been done out of the way of traffic. For example, some of the bridges were built off-site then moved into place. Crews also pushed miles of concrete pipe under the freeway rather than installing drainage systems using open-trench methods which require closures.

When the project was initiated, UDOT hoped for 14 to 15 miles of new freeway with the available budget. However the project exceeds what was originally expected. The new wider freeway, 40- year pavement and 75-year bridges represent long term value to Utah taxpayers.