The Utah Department of Transportation announced several updates as part of its plan to keep traffic moving on Bangerter Highway.
Environmental studies are underway on four intersections at 5400 South, 7000 South, 9000 South and 11400 South to evaluate construction of freeway-style interchanges. UDOT is in the middle of a multi-year process to upgrade Bangerter Highway by replacing many of its existing intersections with interchanges, which will improve traffic flow.
“These studies are the next step in UDOT's strategic plan to keep traffic moving on Bangerter Highway,” said John Montoya, UDOT project manager. “The west side of the Salt Lake Valley continues to grow, and we're planning ahead to design interchanges that meet the needs of drivers as well as the nearby communities now and into the future.”
This spring, UDOT will begin construction on a new freeway-style interchange at Bangerter Highway and 600 West in Draper. This will be the third interchange built as part of Bangerter Highway's freeway conversion (interchanges were recently constructed on Bangerter at 7800 South and at Redwood Road).
Pending the outcome of the environmental studies and the availability of funding, construction on new interchanges at 5400 South, 7000 South, 9000 South, and 11400 South is scheduled to begin as early as 2017.
The environmental studies will follow applicable state requirements to evaluate factors such as noise, air quality, traffic changes, property impacts, wetlands, utilities, and historic resources. Where necessary, the studies also will outline the measures required to reduce impacts to these resources. All four studies are scheduled to be complete in May 2016.
Constructing interchanges at these four locations will provide the greatest improvements in reducing congestion and enhancing traffic flow for a fast-growing section of western Salt Lake County. The interchanges will not only help traffic on Bangerter Highway, but provide significant improvements on the east/west cross streets as well.
