Lane closures will start at 7 P.M. Friday as UDOT crews prepare to remove the 1700 East bridge spanning I-80. The full closure begins at 9 P.M.
Drivers should use alternate routes such as I-215 or Foothill Boulevard and Parley’s Way. A map is posted with this report on KPCW.org showing detours.
UDOT must close the interstate in both directions while crews demolish the existing bridge.
UDOT Public Information Officer John Gleason said the replacement bridge is finished on-site and will slide in once crews demolish the old one.
“We did the first ABC bridge, which they call Accelerated Bridge Construction--ABC. And we did the first bridge on 4500 South and I-215 back about 15-years ago. This is going to be the 25th Bridge slide that we've done here in the state, and now, this is a method that DOTs across the nation are using.”
Gleason said the ABC method was pioneered in Utah. It reduces what used to be months of closures to just a couple of days
“This is a bridge that was built back in the 1960s. And so, it's done a great job over the years, and it's time to replace it. Over the last little while, we've been building the replacement next to the bridge. So this weekend, we'll demolish the existing bridge and then slide the new one into place and, hopefully, have it open again Sunday afternoon.”
The 1700 East bridge is part of the I-80 & I-215 project and will include replacing three more bridges and reconstructing multiple on/off ramps. Gleason said several other lane shifts will happen during construction, which wraps up late in 2023.
The speed limit has been reduced on I-80 to 55 miles per hour from 1300 East to 2300 East. The speed limit on I-215 has also dropped to 55 miles per hour from 3300 South to 4500 South.
Once the new bridge is in place and lanes open again, UDOT asks drivers to reduce speeds as marked, watch for trucks entering the interstate, and prepare for rough road conditions.
Visit the UDOT traffic website for current conditions and construction updates.
