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Closures at 106th South to slow commute for thousands of Utah drivers

Posted at 8:28 PM, Sep 08, 2017
and last updated 2017-09-08 23:37:47-04

SANDY, Utah -- It's a closure that is going to impact the commute for tens of thousands of drivers.

Starting at 9 p.m. Friday, the Utah Department of Transportation will block the 106th South ramps to I-15 until September 25.

“This is an interchange people access every day; we see about 42,000 vehicles every day here,” said John Gleason, a spokesperson for UDOT.

Meaning those behind the wheel will have to find a different route.

“For the next two and a half weeks, 106th South is going to be shut down," Gleason said. "Our crews are going to be working night and day, 24/7, just to make sure that we can get this project done as soon as possible."

Construction crews will slide a 3 million pound tunnel under the 106th interchange. It's an underpass that will allow drivers to travel from the northbound off ramp on I-15 directly to Monroe Street in Sandy.

But with drivers avoiding the area, nearby businesses expect to take a hit.

“It will definitely make us slower and slow down business because it will be harder to get over here,” said Toni Judkins, a waitress at Jim's Family Restaurant in Sandy.

But they believe the construction will be worth the wait.

“In the long run it will be better for sure,” said Judkins, who fights traffic at the 106th South intersections almost every day.

UDOT says their goal, as always, is to keep Utah moving.

“We always say short-term inconvenience for a long-term gain, and a project like this really can do wonders to address the congestion issues in the area,” Gleason said.

During the closure, UDOT expects 90th and 114th South to be congested and they are asking drivers to add extra time to their commute for the next 16 days.