DRAPER, Utah — Drivers who use Bangerter Highway in Salt Lake County are being warned about water on a particular stretch of the road that could impact travel.
The Utah Department of Transportation said the issue found near the 600 West exit in the Draper area started up in early spring, with groundwater making its way to the gutters, and at times spreading across the road
The water created a clay build-up that can wreak havoc with vehicle traction.
"During the evening time, the water becomes, I guess, more active, you’d say," said UDOT operations supervisor Jake Brown. "There's a lot more of it. fills up the gutter and does travel across the road... the traffic then tracks it for several city blocks, which compounds the problem and makes it a longer stretch.
Brown explained that maintenance crews are constantly in the area, using high-power washers and brushes to get the clay off the road. The current goal is to find the source of the groundwater so a proper drainage system can be installed.
UDOT suspects the water is coming from a nearby canal or from an area of construction work at the old prison site. They’re using ground sensors to try to trace the origin of the water in hopes of solving the mystery before winter arrives to avoid slick ice conditions.
