The state will roll out 15 miles of fresh car-pool lanes Friday along frequently clogged Interstate 15 in northern Utah County.

The new high-occupancy-vehicle stretch - running north and south from the Alpine interchange in Lehi to University Parkway in Orem - will open at 6 a.m., just in time for rush hour and early-morning band practice.

Orem resident Ryan Smith expects the extra lanes to ease - but not end - Utah County's freeway follies.

"I don't think adding one more lane is going to solve the problem at all, but I think it's going to help a little bit with the congestion," Smith said Wednesday.

After all, he notes, the traffic jams faded a bit recently when the northbound HOV lane opened temporarily from Lindon to American Fork.

But Lehi resident Rick Gee, who commutes every day by bus to Salt Lake City, sees the HOV lanes as a Band-Aid.

"And a very poor bandage at that," Gee said, "because the population continues to grow by leaps and bounds."

Utah Department of Transportation officials acknowledge the Utah County HOV lanes are a stopgap measure. An environmental study looking at long-term solutions for I-15 is expected to wrap up next year.

For now, though, Utah County motorists - especially car poolers - can look forward to less congestion and faster commutes, UDOT Executive Director John Njord said in a news release.

"We encourage motorists to find a co-worker, neighbor or family member to car pool with during the peak travel times," Njord advised.

Construction on the car-pool lanes began in June 2005 and finished ahead of schedule and under its $43 million budget, transportation officials said.

With the HOV completion, Utah drivers now have access to the longest stretch of continuous car-pool lanes in the nation, according to UDOT. The segment extends 38 miles - from 600 north in Salt Lake City to University Parkway in Orem.

"It shows the commitment the department has to car pooling," UDOT spokesman Geoff Dupaix said. "That's moving more people in fewer vehicles, and that's benefiting everyone."

In September, Utah County's new car-pool lanes will join other I-15 HOV lanes in becoming Express Lanes. In addition to regular HOV users, these Express Lanes will allow access to 600 solo drivers willing to pay $50 a month.

Although the HOV construction is complete, Dupaix advised motorists that other I-15 work continues in Utah's second most-populous county (with more than 453,000 residents).

A paving project is planned between 800 North in Orem and 500 East in American Fork, and crews soon will add a northbound auxiliary lane between 800 North and 1600 North in Orem.

thollingshead@sltrib.com

Find out more online

Commuters can find a car pool by visiting www.udot.utah.gov and clicking on "Find a carpool." High-occupancy-vehicle lanes are open to buses, motorcycles, clean-fuel vehicles and vehicles with more than one passenger.