This Sunday, I-15 reconstruction really will be virtually complete. But that doesn't mean we've seen our last orange barrell along the roadway.
I-15
In May, the I-15 reconstruction team held a huge grand opening.
But many motorists were confused and angry, because they still faced some overnight closures and orange barrels.
No more of that after Sunday, July 15th.
"Sunday we'll arrive at the point we call 'substantial completion.' That means-- it's kind of like a family moving in to a house they've built. We're going to take full occupancy of the freeway," says I-15 spokesman Joe Walker.
The last stretch of new freeway to open will be 600 West at 21st South. Once that's open, no more scheduled nighttime or weekend freeway closures!
Crews still will have a little bit of work to do before the contractual completion date in October, but Walker says motorists should not be impacted by that.
Sidestreet, I-80 Construction
That's the good news. Here's another challenge for motorists.
Now that I-15 construction is basically over, state crews will work on 80 different road construction projects in the Salt Lake Valley, alone.
The biggest, most visible project is I-80 between State Street and Parley's Canyon.
Crews are grinding the road to make it smoother for motorists, and to get more life out of the road.
Funds to reconstruct I-80 are still about 10 years away.
That project should be complete by the end of the month.
