Reader comments
GOP caucus backs work on I-15

Biff off Back to the Future | 3:03 a.m. Feb. 22, 2008

It's about time, Einsteins! I-15 traffic is RIDICULOUS!!! It used to be you could use it before rush hour. Now days it doens't matter WHAT time of the day you use it, it's a mess! Maybe you clowns should look about ten years ahead, instead of planning to build next year the roads we needed five years ago.

Easterner | 5:30 a.m. Feb. 22, 2008

The first thing the UDOT ought to do is take a look at highways in the East. Because of congestion, many of them don't have the luxury of a breakdown lane, let alone one on each side of the highway. The could cut the cost significantly if they weren't so set on having 2 breakdown lanes.

Kent Ashton | 6:35 a.m. Feb. 22, 2008

$3.9 Billion for 34 miles of highway? How is this possible? That's $115 Million per mile and $1,5000 for every man, woman and child in the state. What ever happened to the concept of fiscal responsibility?

Comments continue below

Breakdown Lanes | 7:21 a.m. Feb. 22, 2008

Unlike Eastern states that continue to lose population, Utah, like many other states in the South and West, continues to grow. Today's breakdown lanes will probably be tomorrow's passenger lanes. At least in that respect, the state's thinking ahead. If only they had done the rest of the project 5 years ago.

Costs | 8:14 a.m. Feb. 22, 2008

Seems like a decent price, it seems about double what the 17 mile Salt Lake I-15 rebuild cost, and that was 8 years ago. Hmmm, double the cost for double the length...Well shoot, that math seems to add up!

Bad Air | 8:22 a.m. Feb. 22, 2008

At the very moment that we are choking on the worst air in the nation, our lawmakers are trying to figure out how to move more automobiles down the road. Nice.

Re: Bad Air | 9:47 a.m. Feb. 22, 2008

Well, we could leave it as it is and have a bunch of cars getting horrible gas miliage while they sit in traffic spewing exhaust idling (which is worse than when driving) on a conjested freeway. That doesn't seem to be very responsible either.

Pittakos | 9:57 a.m. Feb. 22, 2008

To Bad Air: The more efficiently you move vehicles through a corridor, the less pollution they create. The fact of the matter is, that we all use vehicles to get around so we must deal with it.

Not From UTAR | 10:22 a.m. Feb. 22, 2008

Hallelujah!

Anonymous | 10:24 a.m. Feb. 22, 2008

Bad Air,
What is behind your theory that when the extra lanes open up, thousands more cars will suddenly appear on the road? Where will all those people come from? The additional lanes will simply ease the problem, not build housing for a new city. Try thinking through things once in a while--it works!

Only Utah County? | 10:25 a.m. Feb. 22, 2008

As a commuter who drives from SLC to Provo every day I would like to point out that the worst part of that drive (most congested) generally is between 3500 S down to 114000 S. The point where I-215 joins into I-15 down to 106000 S is the most congested. If they start trying to fix from south of Bangerter into Utah County then I don't see things get much better. Start by fixing 9000 S because it's the worst one!

l | 10:53 a.m. Feb. 22, 2008

it may be that the road needs some changes, but the simple reason that "construction costs will rise later" is not necessarily a valid reason to do the construction. If there is a need for construction, explain that need to us

Wow. | 10:55 a.m. Feb. 22, 2008

They estimate that every day the project is delayed, costs rise by $900,000?

I live between UT and CA | 11:29 a.m. Feb. 22, 2008

As someone who has lived in both UT and CA over the past 4 years, I believe Utahns don't know how good they have it (traffic-wise), compared to Northern CA, where I currently live. I'd much rather commute I-15 than any of the interstates or freeways that I take to work (San Jose to San Francisco).

Anonymous | 3:09 p.m. Feb. 22, 2008

If you drive to Lehi down to American Fork, even to Orem during rush hours after office hours, you will realize the terrible congestion on I-15. The traffic seems to be normal again, however, beyond the Center Street exit at Orem.

Anonymous | 3:06 p.m. Feb. 22, 2008

Dear "Only Utah County?" --
Have you forgotten that they already reconstructed I-15 in Salt Lake County? Yes, it's bad - but Salt Lake County also has Bangerter and I-215, and I-80. Utah County only has I-15 and NEEDS a safer, reconstructed freeway more than Salt Lake County needs to spend more money on an interchange that they just reconstructed.

PP | 3:20 p.m. Feb. 22, 2008

UT and CA,

I lived in Costa Mesa where I-405 and CA-55 meet. This is considered the busiest strech of freway in the world, and I-15 through SLC and Provo is almost as bad. Yes the LA area has tons more busy freeways but that does not change the fact that I-15 is one of the busiest in the country.

To I
The work needs to be done because the road is too small. The rising costs are just added incentive to get it done early, not the reason the work is being done.

Anonymous | 3:48 p.m. Feb. 22, 2008

Utahns don't know what traffic is. If you think this is bad try driving in California, Washington, anywhere back East. Utah has it easy.

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