Big news for drivers in Riverton: come Monday, Sept. 29, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) will unlock fresh pathways for east and westbound travel on 13400 South and throw open the doors of the new 2700 West interchange in Bluffdale. Let's all take a moment, and let out that breath we've been holding for the past however many months. The good news has arrived. According to UDOT News, these moves are part of the final steps to transform Bangerter Highway into an ultra-smooth freeway-style route.
But before we cruise too comfortably into that future, UDOT says there will be a brief hiccup: starting Friday, Sept. 26, at 10 p.m. until Monday, Sept. 29, at 5 a.m., they'll be putting eastbound travel on 13400 South from Old Liberty Way to Bangerter Highway's intersection with 13400 South on pause. They're doing the last bits of prep to get that section ready for primetime. If you're heading in that direction, brace yourself for a detour via Old Liberty Way. Meanwhile, as the weekend progresses, drivers will also migrate to the shiny new 2700 West interchange, which means, thankfully, one less stoplight to endure.
UDOT's been hustling to swap out just plain old intersections on Bangerter Highway for these freeway-fancy interchanges, and they're getting close. With the completion of the 4700 South, 9800 South, 13400 South, and 2700 West interchanges looming, UDOT projects that drivers will save about eight minutes of travel time. "Getting 13400 South open in both directions gives people back valuable time in their day," UDOT Region Two Director Robert Stewart told UDOT News. "It’s another step in making Bangerter Highway a reliable, connected route for the whole southwest valley," he added, apparently forgetting to add a comma somewhere in there.
And because nothing spells progress like convenience, the reopening of 13400 South is expected to revive business connections along Bangerter Highway, a vital artery that links hubs like Mountain View Village and the Salt Lake City International Airport. Heather Nash, the general manager of Mountain View Village, is pretty stoked: "Reopening 13400 South makes it easier for our shoppers, employees, and neighbors to get to Mountain View Village," she said, as per UDOT News. Not just easier, it "reconnects us with the rest of the southwest valley and strengthens our ties to surrounding communities," she said, misplacing a comma in her excitement.
Present-day Bangerter Highway sees an average of 62,000 drivers daily. Skip forward to 2050, and we're looking at that number more than doubling to 128,000, a stat that clearly illustrates why this highway overhaul isn't just for looks. The full opening of these interchanges later this year means Bangerter Highway will be an uninterrupted highway from Interstate 15 in Draper to 4100 South in West Valley City. Final construction on all four interchanges should be in the rearview by the end of October, according to UDOT News.
