One project starts in the Francis area and goes about 12 miles toward Woodland on State Route 35. Kylar Sharp, from the Utah Department of Transportation, said it’s a “mill and fill" project. That’s when the surface layer of the road is removed and then repaved.
“About every 10 years or so we kind of see what the lifespan is of the roadway and how we can help extend the life on it," Sharp said. "So that's kind of what the project is on like a high level.”
Utah has also scheduled maintenance for State Route 32. Sharp said the road will be chip-sealed from Francis to Kamas. Chip sealing is when a thin layer of heated asphalt is sprayed on the road and then rock chips are put on top.
But neither of these projects have a contractor on board yet. Sharp said that means there’s no timeframe for the projects to be completed, but construction is still expected to start in the summer of 2024.
UDOT also plans to add wildlife fencing near Echo Junction in the coming year. That’s because the area is a hotspot for wildlife-vehicle collisions. There have been around 200 incidents at various spots near Echo Junction along I-80 and I-84.
Sharp said the fencing project will start at the interchange from I-84 to I-80 and go south towards Coalville.
“We're always trying to find different ways to keep our roads safe and try to prevent some of these wildlife collisions,” he said.
The fencing will extend for 1.3 miles on all sides of the I-80/I-84 interchange. It will be about eight feet high and guide animals to existing underpass structures so they can safely travel under the interstates.
