MYTH: A Bridge Across Utah Lake Would Save Time and Mileage

The proposed bridge across Utah Lake would connect Redwood Road in Saratoga Springs, just north of Pelican Point, to 800 North and Interstate 15 in Orem a distance of about eight miles with an estimated driving time of about ten minutes.

If you were to drive that right now, you have to travel north on Redwood Road to Lehi Main Street, east to Interstate 15, and back south to 800 N a distance of about 21 miles with an estimated driving time of less than a half hour. Although the bridge could save a bit of time especially when Lehi Main Street is congested the actual difference is only 13 miles.

When Pioneer Crossing opens in 2010, the Lehi Main Street traffic congestion problems will cease to exist, and the actual difference in travel time will be about 20 minutes.

In fact, for the vast majority of people in Saratoga Springs and Eagle Mountain, Pioneer Crossing would be the shorter, faster, and less expensive route to the east side.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• Utah
• Lake
• Bridge
• Crossing
• Saratoga
• Springs
• Eagle
• Mountain

[utahcrossing]

At least on I-15 when you get to an exit, you can get off and find your way around the mess. No so on a bridge. I hate the bridge design too, and there are plenty of people fighting it on that front. This is just another front in the battle.

[GrandArchmage]

Sounds a lot like being stuck on I-15 for a few hours while they clear an accident. It is all relative, but worrying about clearing accidents on a bridge is a poor excuse for not building it. If that was the case, many of our nation's bridges or causeways would have never been built. I don't want to see this bridge for one reason--It looks like crap and ruins my view. Let's just call a spade and spade and quit making silly rationalizations.

[utahcrossing]

Except where you have to wait in line to pay your $3-4 toll each way. Ever drive across the Bay Bridge?

[utahcrossing]

There is also something to be said about driving on a bridge, where if there is an accident, all traffic in one direction stops without a way to get around it or turn back. You'd be stuck until it was cleared.

[utahcrossing]

Whether or not the congestion completely goes away, when Pioneer Crossing opens next year and the 2100 N. thoroughfare opens in 2011, there will be a total of 10-12 lanes of east-west traffic where there are currently only 2.

So you do the math -- Lehi Main Street traffic will drop to levels that most people who live out here have never seen.

[GrandArchmage]

I agree with this video, but there has to be something said about driving on a road without stoplights. I can't see any stoplights being put on a bridge.

[Cbaka27]

Tim...I agree with most of what you are saying. I dont think that when PC fully opens in 2010 that Lehi Main will stop being congested.