CLEARFIELD, Utah — A Davis County driver says dangerous and uncomfortable road conditions on Interstate 15 in Clearfield have gone unaddressed, despite multiple reports to the Utah Department of Transportation.
Steve Poulson, who travels frequently for work across the state, said he has repeatedly reported problems near an overpass in Clearfield through UDOT's Click 'n Fix app. According to Poulson, the issue involves significant buckling where asphalt meets concrete, creating a noticeable bump for drivers.
"I work all over the state. I build America, as I say," Poulson said. "I've traveled from Utah County all the way up to Cache County, and unfortunately Davis County, where I live, is the worst piece of freeway in my opinion as far as maintenance, potholes. It's falling apart."
Poulson said the problem has persisted for at least two years.
"The overpass has buckled so severely that it's basically a speed bump between the asphalt and the concrete," he said. "That's how long I've been reporting it to UDOT. I keep getting the same song and dance from them. They've reported it to their maintenance department and they're going to look into it, and nothing ever happens."
UDOT says it is aware of the concerns and has plans to address them.
"In this case, we had a buckling issue that happened back in May," said UDOT spokesperson John Gleason. "We put in a temporary patch and had plans to go in and put in a more permanent fix. We have an area where it's leading up to the bridge where the concrete slab is pushing against the asphalt there. It's created a bit of a bump."
According to Gleason, crews plan to begin repairs within the next two weeks. The work will include grinding down the roadway and replacing concrete panels near the affected area.
"It can be an inconvenience. It can be a bit jarring, but it hasn't reached that level," Gleason said, referring to safety concerns. "We want to make sure that before it does get to a safety concern that we are able to address it."
While Poulson acknowledges that roadway repairs take time and resources, he believes I-15 should be a higher priority.
"I-15 should be UDOT's crowned jewel of what they maintain and what they do," Poulson said. "As a blue-collar worker, we have a lot of pride in what we do. We put our name in everything we touch. In this scenario, it's a blemish. They haven't stepped it up and done what they should have."
Poulson said UDOT informed him that repairs to the problem area are scheduled for Sept. 13.
