As temperatures begin to rise, so too are the number of construction projects to roads and bridges across the country. States like Utah, South Carolina and, Ohio are set to roll out multi-billion-dollar projects in the coming months.
“If you're out driving the state, there's a very good likelihood that you're going to run into some orange construction barrels,” said John Gleason, Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) public relations director, in a statement.
In all, the agency is spending more than $2.74 billion on 209 projects statewide. Gleason said crews will be working on everything from widening highways to patching pesky potholes.
But the projects with the highest price tag deal with roadway expansions. Gleason said adding additional lanes and new interchanges is necessary to accommodate the growing population and improve the flow of traffic.
Roughly $360 million is going toward a project in Weber County. UDOT is constructing a new Interstate 15 interchange at 5600 South in Roy that will “make it easier to get to and from Hill Air Force Base,” one of the largest employers in the state. It will also widen 5600 South from three lanes to five from I-15 to 3500 West.
Bangerter Highway construction in Salt Lake County isn’t going away anytime soon, either. Gleason said “major construction will ramp up” on the long-term project as crews build four new freeway-style interchanges and remove four stoplights.
Construction on the interchange is expected to be completed by the end of 2025 at a cost of more than $415 million.
However, the most expensive project is an entirely new connecting corridor for Utah and Salt Lake counties, at about $466 million. Right next to a ballooning housing development in Eagle Mountain is miles of dirt road. UDOT and contract employees are laying the groundwork for the Mountain View Corridor.
“The residents of northern Utah County — like Lehi, Saratoga Springs, Eagle Mountain — [will] be able to have that connection that goes from their home … to Salt Lake County,” said Andrew Jordan, director of the Mountain View Corridor projects, in a statement. “This will be that direct connection, that alternative to I-15.”
Phase one will build two lanes in each direction of the highway. Jordan added, because of rapid growth in Utah County, especially around Eagle Mountain, there is the potential for “four lanes in each direction” in the future. Phase two will be the addition of a new freeway near Eagle Mountain. Jordan said funding is already set aside for that project and they will likely break ground in 2027.
In South Carolina, leaders have outlined which projects could be funded by a proposed eight-year penny sales tax.
“We’re proposing to pave 1,400 roads, which is about 542 center-line miles at an estimated cost of $1.067 billion,” Hesha Gamble, an assistant county administrator, said in a statement.
The 1,400 projects are broken up into four tiers. The county plans to tackle the most important projects first. Once crews finish one project, they will move on to the next if funding is still available.
“As long as the funding is collected, the projects will begin within that eight-year cycle,” Gamble said. “You do the work until you run out of money. Everything in Tier 1 would be completed before you move to Tier 2.”
Each road and bridge project will be unique. For example, some roads will be repaved while others will get new traffic signals, turn lanes, or crosswalks.
The county has organized the projects into the following ‘project types’:
- Resurfacing
- Intersection Improvements
- Roadway Safety
- Congestion Relief
- Bridges & Stormwater
- Pavement Preservation
- Road Safety Enhancements
- Transportation-related Drainage
The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is also kicking off a record construction season, investing $2.8 billion into 950 road and bridge improvement projects across the state. There are 39 projects classified as “major projects” with a value above $10 million.
“Investing in efficient infrastructure is an investment in quality of life,” said Governor Mike DeWine in a statement. “Once complete, these projects will significantly reduce traffic congestion and improve roadway safety.”
This year’s construction program also includes 176 safety projects and laying nearly 5,700 miles of pavement in the northeast, northwest west, central, southeast, and southwest parts of the state. Projects will repair or replace 885 bridges in the state.
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Sources: Dailyreporter.com, Keur.org, Wspa.com, Ohio Department of Transportation
