That's about to change.
In the coming months, the Utah Department of Transportation will launch a construction project to expand and improve Redwood Road (1700 West) between 10400 South and 12600 South.
"It's going to be relieving congestion," said UDOT spokeswoman Bethany Eller.
Before that congestion is eased, traffic will grow worse.
The project will take two "construction seasons," meaning work will halt during cold months later this year and conclude in 2007.
UDOT plans to spend $42 million to give Redwood two lanes in each direction. A center turn lane won't be part of the entire stretch, as it is in most areas to the north, because crews will be adding raised medians.
Funds also will help improve lighting, realign side streets and create proper drainage.
UDOT also spent money buying eight homes and segments of other parcels to make way for the expansion.
Redwood is vital to traffic flow for drivers in the south end of the valley; it's much like State Street for, say, Salt Lake City and Murray.
"There's so much traffic on it," said Brad Klavano, a South Jordan city engineer working on the project.
West Jordan, South Jordan, Riverton and Bluffdale all have city offices on Redwood Road.
Only Redwood, Bangerter Highway and, much farther west at about 8400 West, U-111, run the length of the valley's west side.
"Redwood Road is our north-south corridor," Riverton Mayor Bill Applegarth said. "This is the downtown street for us."
In fact, the project's endpoints will connect the shopping hubs of South Jordan (10600 South) and Riverton (12600 South).
The cities are pitching in with extra money for extra improvements.
South Jordan is paying to bury power lines near 10400 South and buying more decorative street lights. Riverton doesn't have the money to bury the utility lines but is having grass installed at certain locations instead of concrete.
While the project has been in the works for years - an environmental impact study was completed in March 2005 - funding didn't become available until now. UDOT is still "doing the design work" and has yet to set a start date for construction, Eller said.
Getting around the inevitable orange cones may be problematic.
UDOT plans to inform motorists of alternatives through electronic message boards and a Web site.
jsantini@sltrib.com
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