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Lane splits expected to cause delays on I-15 near Point of the Mountain

Posted at 4:50 PM, Jul 29, 2015
and last updated 2015-07-29 19:12:12-04

NORTHERN UTAH -- Construction crews were delayed along I-15 and 14600 South, and their delays caused a major back-up during rush hour.

The project is far from over, and FOX 13 News’ Danica Lawrence gives us a look at what drivers can expect during the duration.

Delays are expected along the roadway and more lane changes will be implemented along I-15 at 146th South Wednesday night, so drivers should be alert for signs marking the routes.

Driver Randy Lempert visits the area about once a year and said this time the drive was different.

“It was a little chaotic,” Lempert said. “It was a little different having to merge over into the right side, and it kind of broke off into two sections.”

Those two sections are where the northbound now lanes split, starting at State Road 92. UDOT Spokesman John Gleason said it’s part of the I-15 expansion project to extend the freeway to six lanes in each direction, and, in doing so, he said UDOT needs drivers to pay attention to the new lane changes now in place at 14600 South and Bangerter Highway.

“If you miss getting into the right-hand lanes you are going to have to continue on through 12300 South, but it’s not the end of the world,” Gleason said. “Just continue onto 12300 South and then backtrack. We don’t want any crashes out there.”

Gleason said Wednesday night, crews will change the remaining two northbound lanes onto the new bridge over 14600 South.

UDOTsays with this alignment, the northbound lanes over the bridge will be marked with solid white lines, instead of the dashed ones.

“You don’t want to swerve at the last-minute, that’s where we see some issues, that's where we can see some crashes,” Gleason said.

Speed, Gleason says, is the biggest problem. The speed limit is reduced to 55 miles per hour in this entire project’s 7-mile stretch of construction.

“Just people are going to have to slow down, drive with caution, and everyone is going to have to be very, very careful,” Lempert said.

The lane splits go for about 5 miles, and that part of the construction project should be complete by late fall. For the latest on this project from UDOT, click here.