If you drive I-15 between Salt Lake and Utah Counties on a regular basis, you're in for more traffic congestion than usual.
Monday, the Utah Dept. of Transportation begins a $247 million construction project at the Point of The Mountain.
"Over the next 35 years, we expect Utah`s population to come close to doubling so these transportation projects are critical for today and also for the future to make sure we have that mobility," Carlos Braceras said, Executive Director for UDOT.
The construction will take place along a seven mile stretch between Lehi and Draper.
"We`re putting in new bridges at the 14600 interchange, new signing, new striping, basically a whole new roadway for that seven miles," said Tim Rose, the project manager.
The most significant improvement, according to UDOT, will be widening that corridor to six lanes in each direction. Currently there are only four to five lanes in each direction.
"It`s just a really good project, it`s the most congested most needed part of the valley right now," Rose said.
The bulk of the work will be done between 10 p.m. and 5:30 a.m., during which time I-15 will be limited to just one or two lanes in each direction.
During daytime hours, it will be four lanes as usual but there is a catch.
"Those lanes will be narrowed and we`ll have narrow shoulders on those lanes, which means more congestion," Rose said. "People will not be able to travel as fast through those lanes."
UDOT admits drivers will see delays due to this construction.
Officials are asking drivers to know before you go.
An estimated 165,000 people drive this corridor every day.
"We're asking people to rethink their commute and try to extend their work hours, go in late, come in early, do something in order to take the traffic out of those peak hours," said Rose.
This is one of about 180 projects planned this year by UDOT.
The project is expected to be complete by the fall or winter of 2016.
