Utah transportation officials are urging travelers to plan ahead as work begins on a pair of freeway ramps near Salt Lake City International Airport that will keep them closed for as much as 45 days, joining others that are closed in the area.
Crews plan to close the ramps from southbound I-215 to westbound I-80 and eastbound I-80 to southbound I-215 beginning Sunday evening, as the Utah Department of Transportation says it continues its I-215 West Improved project.
The project calls for the replacement of 18 bridge decks, as well as pothole repairs on a dozen other bridges and the repavement of 25 miles along I-215.
Throughout the closure, drivers heading to the airport from areas north of it are encouraged to continue on I-215 to state Route 201, then take SR-201 to Bangerter Highway to get to the airport. Meanwhile, eastbound I-80 drivers looking to reach southbound I-215 will be detoured to southbound I-15 and then onto westbound S.R. 201, where they can reach southbound I-215.
Given the timeline, the closure may disrupt some Memorial Day weekend travel, which is often considered the unofficial start of summer within the transportation sector. The ramps are expected to reopen in June.
It also adds to a few other closures already in the area because of the project. On- and off-ramps connecting southbound I-215 and California Avenue are on track to reopen in May, UDOT added. A ramp connecting Redwood Road to southbound I-215 won’t reopen until early June, while one connecting Redwood Road to northbound I-215 isn’t expected to reopen until next year.
Drivers can use the UDOT Traffic app or visit UDOT’s traffic website to see closures and delay times, the agency noted.