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UDOT presents US‑40 corridor study showing capacity limits at Silver Summit and SR‑248; short‑ and long‑term options mapped
Summary
UDOT planning staff briefed Summit and Wasatch county officials and the public about an ongoing US‑40 corridor study that finds several interchanges and segments are likely to exceed capacity within 5–15 years; options include lane additions, revised interchange types and improved local connectivity to reduce local traffic on US‑40.
UDOT staff briefed Summit County Council and Wasatch County officials during a joint session on Sept. 17 on an ongoing US‑40 corridor study that covers I‑80 junctions, interchanges at Silver Summit (Exit 2), SR‑248 (Mayflower) and the segment up to the river bridge. The study analyzes existing and projected traffic, freight movements and land‑use plans to identify short‑ and long‑term interventions.
Travis (UDOT emerging area project manager) and Jeff (UDOT Region planning manager) said the study has advanced through data collection, stakeholder meetings and scenario development. They reported that modeling indicates the Silver Summit interchange and SR‑248 movements are likely to exceed capacity within a 5–10 and 10–15 year window respectively under projected growth. UDOT said it is evaluating a menu of solutions, from lane additions to interchange reconfigurations including a single‑point urban interchange (SPUI) at SR‑248 or other interchange types.
UDOT noted a near‑term proposal the agency intends to pursue: adding a second lane for the eastbound‑to‑southbound movement from I‑80 to US‑40 to reduce morning backups. Staff said that widening US‑40 from SR‑32 to Mayflower appears repeatedly in the scenario testing as a necessary improvement to address regional and freight traffic and that many solutions will require additional environmental and engineering study.
The study also examines non‑highway measures: improved local road networks and frontage solutions to shift local trips off US‑40; undercrossings for trails and the feasibility of the Fosters Spur connection to the rail trail and active‑transportation network; and potential interim measures that can be funded sooner than full interchange reconstructions. UDOT said it will present final scenario analysis to the councils later this year and is coordinating across Region 2 and Region 3 staff due to the corridor spanning multiple UDOT planning regions.
Both Summit and Wasatch officials discussed the implications for local planning and recent or planned roundabout upgrades and requested UDOT share model results and assumptions with local engineers and the county study teams. UDOT provided a contact email (US40area@utah.gov) and said it expects to conclude the scenario screening phase by the end of the year and present recommended concepts for further study.
