This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Farmington • The Davis County Board of Commissioners is urging the state to find $31 million now to build an improved interchange at Interstate 15 and Hill Field Road, a move it says would save millions down the road.
The commission voted Tuesday to approve a letter that supports efforts by the Utah Department of Transportation and Layton to fully fund the construction of a new single-point urban interchange (SPUI). The interchange, along with ThrU-Turn intersections on adjacent streets, "will greatly improve traffic flow and address the severe traffic congestion that is now limiting the economic growth and success of the area," the letter says.
The commission letter, addressed to UDOT Executive Director Carlos Braceras, notes that $8 million has been allocated already for the U-turn intersections, which are being constructed first. It says building the SPUI at the same time for an estimated $31 million in today's dollars would be cost-efficient.
According to the letter, UDOT's long-range plan says costs to build an SPUI will increase to $108 million in the next four to seven years.
The letter adds, "Constructing the ThrU-Turns now and the SPUI in four to seven years is a huge disruption to the business community and traveling public."
The single-point urban interchange and ThrU-Turn are designed to move a large volume of traffic efficiently. A ThrU-Turn requires motorists wanting to turn left to drive straight through the intersection and make a U-turn at a special intersection with a signal a few hundred feet down the road, then return to the main intersection and turn right.
The commissioners say that addressing the issue immediately is important because Hill Field Road and I-15 is the most congested interchange in Davis County and is the primary commercial access to Layton.
Twitter: @PamelaMansonSLC