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MURRAY — Drivers can expect delays on I-215 this weekend as crews start bridge work.
Eastbound I-215 will be closed between the I-15 interchange and State Street while crews take off the top layers of the 300 West bridge over I-215 for repairs.
The Utah Department of Transportation said the beams are in great shape, and many components are good, but it is time for a tune-up, which will help extend the bridge's lifespan.
"It's just like a car or a house. It's reached its time. It needs a face-lift," said UDOT project manager John Montoya.
A little extra care is needed. It has been there for the last 50-some years and surviving the wear and tear of 3,000 driving over it daily, and 20,000 cars traveling underneath it. By tearing off the top riding surface of the bridge and getting it ready for a replacement, crews will make sure the bridge will be ready for future decades.
"If we replace the bridge deck, that's going to extend the years we can get out of this by about 30 or 40 years," said UDOT spokesman John Gleason.
UDOT said bridges are inspected every other year.
Crews are focusing on the eastbound side of the bridge this weekend and will work on the westbound side in two weeks.
"It's not often we close an interstate, so that makes it a lot different than most projects," Montoya said.
The closure begins Friday at 9 p.m. All eastbound I-215 traffic must exit at I-15 and follow the posted detour through 7200 South and State Street. During construction, traffic on the bridge will be fully restricted. Pedestrian access on the bridge will also be prohibited.
UDOT crews hope eastbound I-215 will fully reopen in time for Monday's morning commute and plan to wrap up the bridge work by June.
