This $65-million design-build project created 2.5 miles of greenfield roadway through residential and commercial neighborhoods in West Valley City. The project is an interim step in the development of a high-speed freeway that will link Interstate 80 in Salt Lake City with State Route 73 in Utah County. Beyond the number one priority of safety, the city wanted to assure its residents that the project would not disrupt their accustomed walking, driving and shopping patterns.

Early in the project, the team established a community resolution board (CRB) consisting of parents, business owners and other West Valley residents to help them and community leaders understand the impact of the project. The CRB also sought to educate the public about the logic of doing a project that includes future expansion.

Planning for this eventual conversion required forethought. The team developed an approach that creates an outer shell along the new road, allowing pavement to be quickly and efficiently placed when the road is ready for expansion. The team paid careful attention to girder spacing and layout on bridges to help provide cost savings in the future. Designers planned widths so that a minimal amount of bridge deck demolition will be needed in widening projects.

The team collaborated with the CRB throughout the project, including taking members to construction sites once a quarter so they could monitor progress and ask questions. The resulting roadway provides a path to meet future needs while maintaining the integrity and safety of neighborhoods along the corridor. The highway offers improved views of the Salt Lake Valley and an extension of the Utah and Salt Lake Canal Trail as a recreational amenity.

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