Utah DOT Begins Construction of New Highway
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The Utah Department of Transportation has started work on a project to construct a new highway.
The West Davis Highway will be a four-lane divided highway stretching for 16 miles to improve access to western Davis County, which lies immediately north of Salt Lake City.
Davis County is bordered by the Great Salt Lake to the west and the Wasatch Mountains to the east. Its main corridor is Interstate 15, which runs north-south.
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“In the last 10 years, Utah has grown faster than any other state in the nation, and we are working hard every day to ensure our transportation system meets our needs now and in the future,” said UDOT Executive Director Carlos Braceras said. “Our legislative leaders have planned for that growth, and we are so appreciative for their help in securing the funding to build what is currently our largest project — the biggest one we’ve had since I-15 CORE was completed in 2012.”
UDOT’s I-15 CORE project involved the widening and reconstruction of 24 miles of the interstate.
The new highway is expected to reduce delays by approximately 30% on I-15 and local roads west of the interstate by 2040, according to UDOT spokesman John Gleason. The project is slated for completion in 2024.
This morning @JStuartAdams and @MikeSchultz_12 helped officially kick-off construction of the West Davis Highway. The 16-mile road will run from Farmington to West Point. More info: https://t.co/Yoh8wA30cg pic.twitter.com/8vs3csHCj9 — UDOT Region One (@UDOTRegionOne) May 25, 2021
“One of the primary benefits is that it will provide more direct access for trucks to and from businesses in western Davis County,” Gleason said. “Trucks will be able to use the new highway to reduce the distance traveled on local streets, which will reduce congestion and delays.”
The West Davis Highway will run from I-15 near Glovers Lane in Farmington to the future extension of state Route 193 in West Point. Six interchanges will be built to link I-15 and local roads in Farmington, Kaysville, Layton and Syracuse.
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According to UDOT, a future phase of the project is planned to extend the highway farther in West Point. In the long term, the West Davis Highway will extend through Weber County and connect back to I-15. However, no funding or environmental process has been planned for the extension beyond West Point.
In an effort to transport people as well as vehicles, the project will add 10 miles of trails and connect several existing regional trails for recreational users and bicyclists.
“These projects keep our communities connected,” Braceras said. “They provide access to work, health care, recreation and education, and help ensure the high quality of life we enjoy here in Utah.”
Gleason said the West Davis Highway Project is valued at $757 million. Funding for the project was allocated by the Utah Transportation Commission. The project was included in long-term transportation plans and commenced after an eight-year environmental study process.
The West Davis Highway project is meant to upgrade the transportation system to keep pace with the area’s growing needs. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Utah had the fastest-growing population in the country between 2010 and 2020. Utah’s 2020 population was 3.27 million, according to the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute at the University of Utah.
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