The Summit County Council spoke with representatives from the Utah Department of Transportation on Wednesday about the future of Kimball Junction’s infrastructure for the first time since UDOT announced its preferred alternative to fix traffic issues.
UDOT declared its inclination for Alternative C earlier this month, a plan centered around a traditional widening project with intersection improvements and pedestrian enhancements. However, the recommendation isn’t official until the public comment period closes on April 28.
Summit County officials favored Alternative C over Alternative A after the state eliminated the county’s preferred plan, Alternative B, last spring.
Alternative B was the largest and most expensive proposal with an estimated cost of $207 million. The project would have created grade-separated intersections at Ute Boulevard and Olympic Parkway with one-way frontage roads to the Interstate 80 interchange.
“It failed [the screening] due to the pedestrian and bicyclist mobility and comfort criteria,” explained UDOT project manager Becky Stromness. “In addition to that, it also had the most property impacts and the highest cost without any substantially greater benefits in comparison to the other alternatives of A and C.”
Both Alternative A and Alternative C passed UDOT’s screening process, but Stromness told the County Council the state agency preferred Alternative C because it resulted in the greatest travel delay reduction and faster travel speeds during peak traffic hours.
Alternative C also includes the shortest I-80 off-ramps and is a “more reasonable expenditure of funds” for the anticipated benefits.
“Alternative C will provide maximum flexibility for future compatibility depending on how the area develops in the coming years,” Stromness added. “Most importantly, it doesn’t preclude any elements of A that could potentially be implemented or built into the future.”
Key design features for Alternative C: additional lanes on S.R. 224, as well as a dedicated turn lane; new turn lanes and bike lanes at the Ute Boulevard intersection; more lanes approaching roundabouts; a new east-west pedestrian underpass near Ute Boulevard; and a buffered bike lane.
The final environmental impact statement and decision will be announced later this year, but UDOT has not provided an estimated timeline of when the announcement will occur.
Stromness said she expects some construction for another project, which would introduce dual left-turn lanes to the Kimball Junction intersection, to start in early 2027, but UDOT does not currently have an approximation regarding the start of Alternative C’s construction. However, Stromness said she expects the project to be placed on the Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) soon.
“You’ve gone above and beyond in trying to accommodate all of our requests and iterations and exploratory conversations while maintaining this process that you have to do, so I just wanted to extend a sincere thank you for all that time and effort you’ve put into this. It’s really appreciated on our part,” County Council Vice Chair Canice Harte told UDOT representatives.
Stromness encouraged community members to provide feedback to UDOT by April 28 regarding the preferred alternative, potential impacts and proposed mitigation measures.
Public comment can be submitted online at www.kimballjunctioneis.udot.utah.gov, emailed to [email protected], by calling or texting 435-255-3186 or mailed to Kimball Junction EIS ℅ HDR, 2825 East Cottonwood Parkway #200, Cottonwood Heights, UT, 84121.
An in-person public hearing is scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on April 8 at Ecker Hill Middle School. A virtual session is set for 6 to 7:30 p.m. on April 10 via Zoom.