REBUILD PROJECT •
Nephi City Council members and others attended a
hearing concerning the rebuilding of I-15 east of
Nephi this summer. UDOT has decided to close one
side at a time rather than route I-15 traffice thru
the center of town.
By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
UDOT will choose to keep traffic on the freeway for
the summertime rebuilding project for the Nephi North to
Nephi South sections of the roadway.
The project, I-15; South Nephi interchange to North
Nephi interchange is a concrete pavement rehabilitation
project to cost $13,600,000 and is billed as Interstate
maintenance.
Forty-five residents of Nephi, concerned about the
project and its effect on their businesses and the life of
residents, attended a public hearing on Tuesday held prior
to city council meeting to find out just what the most
recent plans were for diverting traffic during the
project.
Craig Hancock, project manager for UDOT; John Higgins,
Environmental with UDOT; and Geoffrey P. Dupaix, Public
Involvement Coordinator for UDOT, attended both the public
hearing and met with city council members during council
meeting following the hearing.
"We plan to use Option A, unless the city council
likes Option B better," said Hancock at council meeting.
Option A is to create two lanes of traffic in opposite
directions on one side of the freeway. The move would clear
one side, in turn, for construction work.
He said that Option B, which was to re-route traffic
along Nephi's Main Street was the greater impact decision
and would be more expensive in the long run.
Businessmen at the public hearing had, when asked,
jokingly said they favored Option 4, not doing the project
at all. Summertime, is the high-impact time of year on local
businesses. During the summer tourist traffic is pulled to
the community.
"Walker Oil would be in favor of Option A," said Rob
Whiting, representing that company.
The summer project would be a big blow to his retail
business, he said. The timing of the project was not good
but since the work was necessary for public safety, he would
prefer Option A.
He asked if UDOT would allow signs along the freeway
for businesses affected.
An early completion incentive would be a big boost to
businesses," said Mike Jones, former council member and a
freeway interchange business owner.
"If the work were done faster than expected, that
would soften the blow a little," he said.
Mark Jones, mayor, asked if there would be federal
funding to help with the traffic which would likely pass the
Red Cliffs Elementary school and was told, by Higgins, that
there was not that option.
"The federal highways commission said, "No." he
said.
Jones said he was also in favor of Option A and
thought that was a better solution than sending all of the
freeway traffic through Nephi which would make travel around
the community difficult.
Kent Park, council member who manages a South Nephi
business, said those businesses had thought that UDOT, when
it discussed the work with the Chamber of Commerce, favored
Option B.
"Now you have done a reversal," he said.
Neil Cook, county commission chairman, asked if the
fire department and ambulance associations would be
notified.
"The county will be willing to help and cooperate
during this challenging time," he said.
Under Option A, freeway traffic cannot get on the
Center Nephi Interchange. The southbound traffic, when that
side of the freeway is being constructed, cannot get off at
the south interchange.
The same will be true in the opposite direction, when
the northbound lane is being worked on.
"Anyone wanting to visit Nephi will have to travel
through the town," said Higgins.
The project has three phases which will be built
during the summer.
The surface will be concrete, that will not be
changed, he said.
Dupaix said that an additional crossover could be
designed to allow traffic to go along 100 North or Main for
either direction of travel through the community. That
traffic could be diverted up to the freeway.
A concrete barrier would be placed along the middle of
the freeway in either the south or northbound lane,
depending on which half of the freeway was being
constructed.
UDOT will be hiring a project public involvement
coordinator who will serve just this project.
His personal opinion was that the city did not have
responsibilities in the decision-making process, said
Jones.
"You have laid the proposal on the table," said Jones.
"We will not have a motion."
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