Utah County's notorious traffic jams are slated for relief as the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) kicks off construction of new Flex Lanes for Pioneer Crossing, the corridor linking Interstate 15 and Redwood Road, announced the UDOT. Commencing September 8, the goal of the project is to boost efficiency, reportedly giving back over six minutes of travel time during rush hours and cutting down over 900 hours of daily congestion.
As it stands, the 19-minute westbound evening journey on Pioneer Crossing could balloon to 32 minutes by 2037 without upgrades, and the morning eastbound trek from 14 to 20 minutes, UDOT data projects. Currently funneling an average of 55,000 vehicles a day, on a roadway originally designed for 35,000, the Flex Lanes are expected to handle up to 50% more traffic each day. These lanes will dynamically adapt to traffic volumes, providing more lanes in peak directions during rush hours, and maintaining evenly split lanes at other times, according to UDOT News.
UDOT Project Director Andrew Jordan explained, "Flex Lanes are a smart way to get more out of the road we already have," in a statement, as per UDOT News, noting the system's ability to adjust the number of lanes in response to real-time demand. "That means less congestion and more reliable commutes for drivers in Utah County." This lane flexibility ensures up to four lanes during peak periods in the necessary direction, and during off-peak hours, drivers will see three lanes both ways, with an additional shared center turn lane.
Expected to satisfy the demands of Pioneer Crossing through roughly 2037, the improvements should notably reduce side street delays by 50%, an estimate by engineers, and during initial construction phases, commuters should brace for evening lane closures, lane shifts, and shoulder closures, yet daytime traffic flow will be sustained with lanes remaining open. The entire construction endeavor is projected to stretch into late 2026.
