Improving safety on I-80 in Parleys Canyon is top UDOT priority

SALT LAKE CITY — Placing additional barriers in the medians between the east and westbound lanes of I-80 in some areas of Parleys Canyon is on the Utah Department of Transportation's priority list, spokesman Adan Carillo said.

The sites for the "safety improvements" include the stretch of road where a westbound Jeep Cherokee crossed over the median into the eastbound lanes Saturday, Sept. 11, striking the vehicle of off-duty firefighter Bruce McGowan. McGowan died at the scene.

Carillo said UDOT constructs barriers every year for added safety as the department's budget allows, and about 839 feet of cable median barrier will be constructed next summer at mile 138.6 — the area where McGowan lost his life. In total, more than 24 miles of barriers are slated to be constructed between mile post 136 and 195 next summer. "Eventually, our goal is to have some sort of barrier everywhere where it makes sense, where it's feasible, where it's needed the most," Carillo said.

UDOT takes several things into consideration when assessing where to construct barriers, including the speed limit of the roadway, the distance between the lanes of traffic, visibility and budgets.

"Eventually we will have barriers where they're needed the most (on I-80) up to the Wyoming state line," Carillo said. "Our goal across the state is to have zero fatalities on our roads."

On Monday, Sept. 21, UDOT will begin constructing cable median barriers on I-80 just east of Wendover.

"We also have quite a few crossovers out there," he said.

e-mail: mfarmer@desnews.com