S.R. 248, Kimball Junction included in nearly 20 construction projects planned in Summit County this summer
Construction will stretch from Park City to Wyoming border
Summit County’s highways are set for some significant work this summer, including more than a month of paving at Kimball Junction and a significant repaving project on Interstate 80 passing through the Snyderville Basin.
The Utah Department of Transportation is planning more than a half-dozen construction projects on roads stretching from Park City to the Wyoming border, while Summit County itself is pursuing a dozen more.
County Manager Tom Fisher recently told the Summit County Council that he was briefed by UDOT officials late last month, indicating that construction season would be apparent in nearly every corner of the county.
“It’s going to be very busy in Summit County on a lot of different maintenance and pavement rehabilitation projects,” Fisher said. “… They’ve kind of got us bracketed in, so there’s really nowhere you can go that you won’t hit a UDOT construction project this summer. And then another six are already programmed for next year.”
Perhaps the most visible UDOT project will be repaving S.R. 248, also known as Kearns Boulevard, from its intersection with S.R. 224 in Park City to U.S. 40. The project is expected to begin this month and will include upgrades to pedestrian ramps and adding a westbound shoulder-running bus lane from Quinn’s Junction to Comstock Drive, according to a prepared statement from the agency. The work is expected to last through the fall.
UDOT is also planning to repave the stretch of Interstate 80 that passes Kimball Junction. The work is planned this summer from Hi Ute Ranch to Silver Creek Junction, with another I-80 project planned 10 miles east of the interchange with Interstate 84 in Echo.
That long-term project is in addition to work done on I-80 near Jeremy Ranch that, along with a traffic accident, backed up traffic for miles Monday evening. That work was expected to continue Tuesday.
The most prominent project undertaken by Summit County will likely be the one at Kimball Junction, which Public Works Director Derrick Radke said would entail extensive repaving west of S.R. 224.
“That’s unique for Summit County, we don’t normally do night work. We’re removing the 2 inches of existing surface for everything west of 224 and replacing it,” Radke said. “With the traffic volume during the day, we have to do it at night.”
According to a schedule released by the county, the project is expected to start this and continue for 34 days.
The county project with the longest expected duration is in Mahogany Hills, a neighborhood near Sun Peak. Radke said one reason for the project’s 47-day schedule is that it includes installing islands in the roadway intended to slow traffic.
Other lengthy projects are slated to take place in the Snyder’s Mill neighborhood for 39 days, and 24-day projects near Old Ranch Road and Hoytsville Road.
Radke said the amount of road repair work is about average compared to the last few years, but indicated it was notable that the Summit County Council decided to continue funding public works projects amid anticipated pandemic-caused funding shortages.
“It’s good for our road system,” he said.
Another notable county project includes improving sidewalks for trail interconnections planned in Pinebrook and the South Ridge subdivision near Rasmussen Road.
As for projects on state-controlled roads, crews are also working to remove the bumps in the flyover ramp from U.S. 40 to I-80.
On the East Side of the county, S.R. 302 is slated for improvements near Rockport State Park and S.R. 65 is scheduled for structure replacements and pavement rehabilitation from the county line to the I-80 interchange, according to a report Fisher sent to the council.
The Mirror Lake Highway is also scheduled for pavement extension from Bear River to the Wyoming border, according to the report.
Fisher indicated that 2022 looks to be similarly busy.
Work scheduled next summer includes median improvements and deck preservation on Interstate 80, shoulder widening and rumble strip installation on the Mirror Lake Highway and retaining-wall repairs on S.R. 224 in Park City.
Weber Canyon
Completed: June 3
Meadow Lane
Completed: June 7
Silver Creek
Start date: June 7
Estimated duration: 8 days
Spring Creek
Start date: June 8
Estimated duration: 12 days
Kimball Junction
Start date: Week of June 7
Estimated duration: 34 days
Old Ranch
Start date: June 15
Estimated duration: 24 days
Hoytsville Road
Start date: June 23
Estimated duration: 24 days
Silver Creek Road
Start date: July 19
Estimated duration: 18 days
Snyder’s Mill
Start date: June 25
Estimated duration: 39 days
Mahogany Hills
Start date: June 29
Estimated duration: 47 days
Majority overlay will begin Aug. 12 and is expected to last 9 days.
Bear Hollow Drive
Start date: Aug. 16
Estimated duration: 10 days
Trail Interconnect
Start date: Aug. 23
Estimated duration: 18 days
Source: Summit County
For more information, visit summitcounty.org/672/Summit-County-Road-Projects-2021
Summit County Democrats will hold June primary following split vote
Delegates were unable to decide between Snyderville Basin Planning Commissioner Thomas Cooke and housing advocate Megan McKenna for County Council Seat C. The position is currently held by Chair Malena Stevens, who is not seeking reelection.
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