The announcement of the 500 West opening feels like a much-anticipated holiday gift from UDOT. While it’s been a long process, it was a wise investment. Not only do we have new underground utilities, but choosing a concrete surface, while extending construction time, translates to a much-longer infrastructure life and ultimately, taxpayer savings.
In addition, it is due to our strong partnership with UDOT that we are able to add significant safety enhancements like protected bike lanes, landscaped center medians, where possible and new traffic control devices. This stretch of US 89 through Provo will last longer, function better for all modes and be more pleasant for everyone.
500 West Update
The Provo 500 West project team is excited to announce that all lanes and sidewalks will be opened to traffic by end of shift December 23! We are pleased to be able to open the lanes to traffic before the winter weather really sets in. Crews will return in the spring to complete landscape restoration and final quality control items. You can expect some lane or shoulder closures until landscaping is complete.
Project Recap
In addition to the full reconstruction of 500 West, the project also replaced or upgraded several underground utility systems including gas, water, sewer and storm drain. Based on input from you and your neighbors, the project added a number of safety features that include:
A 10-foot multi-use path on the east side of the road
6-foot sidewalks along the west side and painted bicycle lanes
Improved school crossing signals at 500 North and 300 South, raised medians at key intersections to reduce the potential for side-angle crashes
A new pedestrian signal and refuge island at 300 North and upgraded lighting and bulb-outs at local street corners (700 North, 600 North, 400 North, and 200 South) to shorten the crossing distance and improve pedestrian safety.
The 500 West project caps off a series of improvements totaling more than $80 million between UDOT and Provo City to build transportation improvements since 2013. These include: Bulldog Boulevard bike lane conversion, University Avenue/UVX Express line with UTA and the reconstruction of 300 South. Combined, these projects added new transit, bicycle and pedestrian options, improved safety and replaced aging infrastructure to provide Provo City residents more options and long-lasting roadways.
The project team will return in spring to complete work. Email updates will pause until a few weeks before this work resumes. However, we are still available to assist you with questions or concerns in the interim, so please feel free to reach out to the project team at the contact information below.
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