Utah Gov. Gary Herbert is used to being at the center of power. On Thursday, that was literally the case.

The governor walked alongside a "self-propelled modular transporter," a large bridge-moving machine, maneuvering it with his hand-sized controller on Thursday, part of a celebration of I-80 reconstruction.

The freeway reconstruction between State Street and 1300 East, called "Innovate 80" by the Utah Department of Transportation, was officially completed Thursday, although a circular ramp from 1300 East is being finished this weekend. The project cost the state $139 million.

I-80 now has five lanes in each direction, as crews built an additional travel lane in each direction and "auxiliary lanes" for on- and off-ramps that will give traffic more space to merge into travel lanes.

Crews also built 17 bridges, including at 300 East, 500 East, 600 East, 700 East, 900 East and Highland Drive. Bridge work was also done at State Street.

Many of the bridges replaced were more than 40 years old, built with the original freeway in the late 1960s, and were not engineered to withstand an earthquake. The new bridges are, said UDOT executive director John Njord.

Ten of the 17 bridges were constructed at a "bridge farm" off to the side of westbound lanes and moved in place with self-propelled modular transporters, like the one Herbert controlled Thursday.

That bridge construction saved at least one year and $50 million, Herbert noted, while sympathizing with commuters who have endured orange barriers since construction started in October 2007.

"We're doing it in such a way where we're being efficient," he said.

About 50 contractors and subcontractors worked at the site, UDOT project manager John Montoya said, and about 200 worked at peak times. About 1,400 people were employed through the duration of the project.

"We have something the residents of the state of Utah and people coming through this state will enjoy for generations," said Rep. Wayne Harper, R-West Jordan.

Njord noted I-80 is just one of three interstate systems — I-10 and I-40 being the others — that stretch from coast-to-coast.

"Our little part is important for the country," he said.

e-mail: lhancock@desnews.com