Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt doesn't want Salt Lake County commuters to wait until the last minute to start carpooling.
Sharing rides to and from work is one strategy the governor and the Utah Department of Transportation are promoting as a way to survive the reconstruction of I-15 in Salt Lake County beginning this spring.Thursday afternoon, Leavitt plans to sign a declaration making every Wednesday in 1997 "Utah Transit Authority Rideshare Day." He is urging companies and commuters to use alternate forms of transportation at least one day a week to prepare for the project.
I-15 will be widened from six to 10 lanes, most intersections along that 17-mile stretch will be reconfigured and more than 130 bridges will be replaced. The $1.36 billion project will take about 41/2 years to complete.
During at least the first two years of the project, I-15 will be reduced to two lanes in each direction during peak hours. The gov-er-nor is promoting ride sharing as a way to reduce traffic congestion during the project.
UTA can assist in the creation of carpools and van pools through its rideshare program. For more information, call UTA at 266-1187.