The I-15 Tech Corridor project was a mess. I’m glad it’s over. The result is certainly nice: The freeway is much wider. The full six lanes have reduced traffic when driving through the region. But why did it have to feel so dramatic?
Roads are constantly updated — I get it. But why did it feel so chaotic? Almost every time I drove through that section of road, the temporary markings were different. The lanes would cross over each other and cross over the median of the freeway, and then all of the sudden it would be a long stretch with temporary lane stickers peeling off — yet the speed limit jumped right back up to 70 mph.
Last November, a butane gas tanker actually tipped over on one of these lane-crossing temporary markings. Who was in charge of the show? It seems like UDOT was simply trusting the contractor to get it done fast rather than safely. Even in October when the markings overlapped, creating two sets of lanes and causing an accident, the road remained open.
The UDOT project website’s FAQ in response to these questions says, “Our crews are refreshing the striping as weather permits. Crews will continue to monitor and improve striping when possible.” As weather permits? The focus of the marking team needs to be safety first instead of “go-go-go!”
Mason Fernandez
Lehi