Tim Vandenack, Standard-Examiner

A few minor work items remain, but after more than two years of work, the widening of Interstate 15 through northern Davis County into the Roy area is pretty much complete.

Last summer going into autumn, orange and white construction barriers were the norm. The northbound and southbound lanes had each been split at times to accommodate the work, creating narrow travel lanes in some road sections enclosed on either side by traffic barriers.

“I called it the luge,” joked Layton Mayor Joy Petro.

Now, though, the roadway is wide open. The 10-mile area of focus goes from Layton Parkway in Layton north to Interstate 84 in Riverdale and the key upgrade was the addition of a fourth travel lane going each direction. The work, meant to keep pace with growing traffic, started in mid-2019 and also included the widening of bridges, replacement of bridges and improvements to some of the I-15 on- and off-ramps.

“When the project is complete, we expect congestion to ease in the area, especially during peak commute times in the morning and evening,” said Mitch Shaw, spokesperson for the Utah Department of Transportation, which handled the $163 million project.

Image supplied, Utah Department of Transportation

The inside lanes going each direction will eventually become express lanes, meant primarily for autos hauling two or more passengers. For now, though, they are “general purpose” lanes, accessible to all motorists.

“We still have to put the express lanes markings on the road itself, which is weather dependent. We’ll look to do that when the weather allows,” Shaw said. Before the project, the I-15 express lanes ended north of Layton Parkway.

The miscellaneous project elements that remain, like addition of the express lane markings and work on some shoulder sections, are to be finished by this spring. When the new express lane sections are activated, autos with a single passenger will have to purchase an express pass to travel in the lanes, paying a fee, as in the I-15 express lane sections further south.

Though the work made travel in the construction zone a white-knuckle affair at times, many seemed to take the disruption in stride. “Quite honestly, what can you really do about it?” Petro said.

Clearfield Mayor Mark Shepherd said UDOT officials were mindful of the disruptions to the traveling public and did what they could to minimize the hassles caused by the work. “I think this project was handled better than just about any of them that I’ve seen,” he said.

Tim Vandenack, Standard-Examiner

That said, there are a few things he dislikes. Mounds and mounds of dirt, a byproduct of the project, remain piled near the I-15 northbound off-ramp to 700 South in Clearfield, creating an eyesore, Shepherd said.

Moreover, he said, the lane markings on the upgraded I-15 section are hard to see in rainy weather. “It is impossible if it is raining to see where the stripes are and what lane you’re supposed to be in,” he said.

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