The new Layton South Interchange is due to take 18 months and will bring dramatic changes to the landscape on the southern tip of the county’s largest city.
“Being in the middle of it all, I-15 through the metropolitan area, to have it come into downtown, will mean redevelopment and new development,” said Layton Long-range planner Peter Matson.
“It’s one of the greatest opportunities, along with FrontRunner,” as a transportation option into the downtown area, agreed Bill Wright, the city’s community and economic development director.
“New housing, a new hospital (with land purchased by Intermountain Health Care adjacent to the interchange), redevelopment of the Fort Lane Shopping Center” and a lot more are anticipated, he said.
Cost for the entire project is estimated at more than $68 million. But it includes not only a new on-ramp and off-ramp configuration, but purchase of property, and construction of several new frontage and connection roads.
The landscape will be significantly altered, not only by removal of a current overpass, but construction of a new overpass that rises up to 30 feet from ground level – enough to clear all Union Pacific Railroad and other utilities.
The historic old railroad station which currently houses Doug & Emmy’s Restaurant, will almost certainly be saved but likely be moved. And its old use could return, as it is pressed into service as a commuter rail station and maybe still serves concessions, the two city officials said.
The 51-year-old landmark Sill’s Cafe, meanwhile, will be eclipsed by a towering interchange, but likely also will be moved, they said.
Those and other issues still have to be resolved, even as the Environmental Impact Study final stages are completed and a ROD, or Record of Decisions, is due to be finished, probably by late November.
Then three general contractors will be selected to submit bids on the mammoth project, a selection made, and the spring construction start anticipated.
Among features anticipated for the new project are: 14 foot noise walls on both the east and west sides, with public vote to determine whether they are built; construction of 750 South as a major connector, including access from the west, eventually to include Legacy North; a roadway over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks.
Other aspects are: construction of a five lane roadway (including turning lane) from Fort Lane on the east to Flint Street on the west; construction of a potential UTA park and ride lot on the west side of the interchange.
“There is some great potential for development,” said Matson, who calls the current freeway setup “dysfunctional.”
Along with a hoped-for late 2010 completion, city officials hope to be putting some sort of a distinctive Layton feel to the project, either by then or a bit later as it develops. That likely will include restoring some of Old Downtown Layton’s historic structures, as well as incorporating new facilities.
“The interchange will be a huge catalyst in recruiting firms to this area,” said City Economic Development Director Ben Hart.
“It has already drawn a significant amount of interest to downtown, and we continue to get new leads every day on people that are interested in this area because of the interchange.”
tbusselberg@davisclipper.com
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