Layton road project to keep vehicles off railroad tracks

LAYTON — Commuters traveling from west of the Union Pacific-Utah Transit Authority rail corridor in southwest Layton have temporarily lost access to I-15 and state Route 126, which also is the city's Main Street.

This closure is the result of a decision recently made jointly by Layton, the Utah Transit Authority, Union Pacific Railroad and the Utah Department of Transportation. It took effect Aug. 25 and is expected to last at least another week.

The closure is to facilitate reconstruction of the so-called "porkchop" median and ramp onto southbound I-15 from S.R. 126/Main Street.

This decision was made due to safety concerns over the potential for vehicle queuing on the railroad tracks while waiting to turn left from 900 South onto S.R. 126. The addition of UTA's FrontRunner service and two commuter-rail lines has lengthened the space required to clear this rail intersection.

This, combined with a high number of U.P. freight trains already traveling through this corridor at high speeds, created a serious safety issue. By removing the option of the left turn onto Layton's Main Street, the potential for queuing on the tracks and vehicle-train collisions in this intersection has been significantly reduced.

When 900 South reopens to traffic through the railroad corridor, the left turn onto S.R. 126/Main Street will no longer be allowed. The only allowed turns will be right onto 900 South, for southbound traffic from S.R. 126/Main Street, or right onto the I-15 southbound ramp for 900 South eastbound traffic merging with southbound traffic for I-15.

Traffic into downtown Layton from this area will now take Flint Street north to eastbound Gentile Street, or take Flint Street south to Kaysville's 200 North, then east to Main Street, then proceeding north to south Main Street in Layton.