This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Motorists driving Interstate 80 near Echo encountered some good news Saturday evening — the road reopened sooner than expected.

The Utah Department of Transportation said that as of about 6:30 p.m. one of the eastbound lanes of I-80 had been reopened, allowing traffic through at Coalville. UDOT initially estimated the eastbound lanes would remain closed until 9 p.m. Saturday because bridge replacements were being made and recommended motorists use an alternate route until then.

But UDOT officials said construction crews were able to complete some of their work sooner than expected, allowing for a lane of traffic to reopen. They hoped all eastbound lanes would reopen by 9 p.m.

The westbound lanes of I-80 remain unaffected by the bridge replacement work.

The bridge repair is part of a larger project to renovate I-80. The new bridges were constructed next to I-80 and the Weber River. Saturday's project installed the second and final bridge at the Interstate 84/I-80 junction.

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