SNOWVILLE, Utah — A $2.2 million paving project on Interstate 84 through the northern reaches of Box Elder County is likely to tie up travelers looking to head north this summer.
Utah Department of Transportation Senior Communications Manager Zach Whitney said a pavement rehabilitation project on the freeway between Hansel Valley and Rattlesnake Pass in Snowville started last week and will go through at least July.
Part of an ongoing effort to improve transportation options in the northern portion of the state, the project includes asphalt resurfacing, the installation of rumble strips (which alert drivers when they veer too close to the edge of the freeway) and new striping. Whitney said the aim of the work is to improve safety in the area and extend the life of the roadway.
During construction, I-84 will be reduced to one lane in each direction in work zones during work hours from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, with weekend work being scheduled when necessary. Both lanes of traffic will open back up for evening and nighttime travel and freeway ramps will remain open throughout the duration of the project. UDOT will suspend construction from July 3-5 to accommodate holiday travel.
I-84 is a major gateway in and out of Utah and sees significant truck traffic. According to Utah Transportation Commission documents, three major highways in the county — I-15, I-84 and U.S. Highways 89/91 — accommodate between 17,000 and 20,000 trucks every day, with an additional 60,000 to 70,000 cars.
The transportation department has dedicated significant funding for projects on the northern Utah section of I-84 over the past half decade, something that will continue into the future and spill over to other roads nearby.
Studies on Main Street in Tremonton and northern I-84, from Tremonton to Snowville, involve UDOT looking into future needs on Main Street and examining things like on-street parking and the construction of bike lanes. UDOT is looking to add climbing lanes, which are built to accommodate large, slower moving trucks, on the stretch of I-84.
In 2023, UDOT is planning for what could be a major reconstruction of U.S. 89 from Pleasant View to Perry.
UDOT’s Statewide Rural Long-Range Transportation Plan identifies potential projects that could happen in the next 30 years, broken down into three separate 10-year phases. Phase 1 includes work that could happen between now and 2030, Phase 2 from 2031 to 2040, and Phase 3 from 2041 2050.
Phase One of the plan includes nearly $80 million worth of work on Interstates 15 and 84 in rural Northern Utah areas.
