As announced by UDOT on Monday, a “Thru-U” will be implemented at 1900 West and 5600 South — also known as state Route 97 — between 2100 West and Wardleigh Road, thus eliminating the ability to make a direct, left turn onto north- or southbound 1900 West at the intersection. UDOT Senior Communications Manager Mitch Shaw told the Standard-Examiner that the configuration will remain in place for approximately three months.

Left-turn restrictions will also be implemented at the nearby interchange, Interstate 15’s Exit 338.

“This isn’t going to be the permanent configuration,” Shaw said. “This is just to necessitate the construction we’re doing out there, and we’re not really doing anything super special. It’s just part of the project of widening that road. That intersection is one of the intersections we’re going to upgrade, and for the safety of our crews and for the public, we don’t want people making left-hand turns. So, that’s what’s driving it.”

Shaw compared the temporary configuration to the permanent U-turns in place near the intersection of Main Street and Hill Field Road in Layton.

Since summer 2023, UDOT crews have been working to reconstruct the I-15 interchange and make updates to 5600 South between the freeway and 3500 West, or state Route 108. Upgrades include road widening, added bike lanes, a high-intensity activated crosswalk signal at 2100 West, a new pedestrian bridge at the Denver & Rio Grande Western Trail, a new signalized intersection at 3100 West and other improvements.

Last month, the I-15 northbound off-ramp at Exit 338 (exit 338B) shifted onto the new overpass, providing direct access to Riverdale Road.

The Roy-Riverdale project is scheduled to be completed by fall 2026. In the meantime, Shaw said that motorists can expect a smoother experience on the freeway in the area — where traffic has been limited to three lanes for much of the last two years — sometime in the next several months.

“By the end of 2025, we hope to have the work on I-15 finished,” Shaw said. “So, hopefully, all the barrels and all the temporary barriers we have out there now will be taken off of I-15, and you’ll have that additional capacity that we’ve taken away due to the construction.”

Residents can track construction progress and view instructional traffic videos at https://udotinput.utah.gov/5600south/, or join the project mailing list by emailing 5600south@utah.gov.