Layton I-15 project under way

LAYTON — Gov. Gary Herbert turned the first ceremonial scoop of dirt using a track hoe with a golden bucket to kick off the $97 million southern Layton I-15 interchange project.

Tuesday's groundbreaking marked the beginning of a 16-month project designed to create better traffic flows through southern Layton and northern Kaysville.

"For many years, our state has been behind the curve when it comes to building roads," Herbert said. "If we're going to expand and be the best we can be economically, roads are in our future."

Layton's project will create a full freeway interchange at Fort Lane, replacing the partial interchange with a southbound onramp at Main Street and a northbound off-ramp at Fort Lane.

On Saturday, construction crews will begin demolishing the Main Street bridge over I-15.

"This project we're about to launch will be disruptive at first, but the end product will provide very significant opportunities for this part of the state," said John Njord, executive director of the Utah Department of Transportation.

Layton Mayor Steve Curtis said the new interchange will help alleviate traffic congestion at Layton's other two interchanges while helping revitalize the city's old downtown.

Part of that revitalization will be the Fort Lane shopping center, which will be razed this year to make room for new businesses by the time the new interchange opens.

Besides the $97 million price tag for the project, it will have some other costs, as well.

A handful of property owners will be forced to relocate because of impending construction on Main Street.

Sill's Cafe has found a new location on Gentile, but Allco Discount Auto Parts and North Davis Gymnastics are in the process of looking for new locations and owners have expressed concern about losing clientele if they move too far away.

Other property owners to the north are concerned about the accompanying construction on Main Street, where UDOT wants to expand travel lanes and install a concrete median where a center turning lane currently exists. They say the changes, which could eliminate critical parking spaces, could hamper or ruin their businesses.

Some have expressed concerns about the offers UDOT has made to acquire their properties, but Karen Stein, deputy director of the department's right-of-way division, said the offers made by the construction contractor are the beginning of the negotiation process.