LEHI, Utah — UDOT is continuing projects along the I-15 tech corridor with a full closure of SR-92 at I-15 to undo the Diverging Diamond Interchange — leaving some drivers feeling frustrated.
“It’s crazy, bumper to bumper!” exclaimed Tom Smith as he filled up his tank at the local gas station. “We’re all here and stuck in the middle of it, it’s not good!”
Frustrations are high for some local drivers who frequent the Point of the Mountain area, as more and more construction projects pop up around them.
“There’s tons of projects and if it goes from one section it goes to another section that’s just a little farther down,” said Heather Smith, an area resident who commutes via SR-92 every day.
“If the freeways backed up, this is backed up,” Heather said as she pointed to S.R 92 and the surrounding streets. “It just bleeds over into the side streets.”
When Heather and Tom heard yet another project was going to be shutting down a portion of Timpanogos Highway for the entire weekend, they weren’t thrilled.
“Traffic won’t be able to cross under I-15,” said Boyd Humphreys, the I-15 tech corridor project director for the Utah Department of Transportation.
“That’s going to make my commute a lot longer,” Heather said.
In 2012, UDOT put in a ‘Diverging Diamond Interchange’ on S.R. 92 under I-15. Now, seven years later, they are changing it back to a traditional interchange.
“That’s crazy! How many millions are just being mismanaged?” Tom said.
UDOT said the project is part of their efforts to increase traffic flow and give drivers more options.
On top of reconstructing the interchange, they will also be adding a new off-ramp from southbound I-15 to the frontage road, alongside a free-flowing U-turn lane on the Triumph Boulevard bridge to help drivers get from the southbound to northbound frontage road.
“The reason we’re reconfiguring the interchange is to allow us to get in and open things up so we can do more work and continue to build the interchange,” Humphreys said.
But the drivers Fox 13 spoke with, aren’t buying it.
“What’s wrong with [the interchange]? I have no idea,” said Heather.
“Get it fixed!” Tom said.
Timpanogos Highway (S.R 92) at I-15 in Lehi will be fully closed beginning at 11 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21 through 5:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 23.
I-15 will remain open in both directions along with all on and off-ramps at the interchange.
UDOT has detours in place for drivers. Southbound travelers trying to get to American Fork Canyon or the Traverse Mountain Outlets will need to use 2100 North. Northbound drivers heading west to Thanksgiving Point can also use 2100 North or 14600 South. Local traffic can use Triumph Boulevard and 2100 North for east/west travel.
