UDOT reports Bluff Street project 90 percent complete, issues new advisories

October 18, 2018 Utah Channel 3

ST. GEORGE — The Bluff Street Corridor project is 90 percent complete, according to the latest updates from the Utah Department of Transportation.

“Paving operations have ramped up with crews working nightly to avoid traffic delays, closed accesses and side streets, and other necessary inconveniences during daylight hours,” UDOT officials stated in a weekly email update Thursday.

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Additionally, according to the update:

Day paving continues six days a week with alternating street closures projected to take places as the work continues. Motorists are advised to note that no parking is allowed on side streets during paving operations.
Striping, signal light work, sidewalk installation, sign installation and trail work also continues.
The final layer of paving is scheduled to begin Monday and will continue through October. Expect traffic shifts as crews begin placing the final driving surface throughout the project.
Pavement markings will also be placed beginning shortly after the final surface is complete.
Night and weekend paving will continue between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. and carry through October until all paving is complete. This may include Sundays. There will be nightly street closures during paving operations. Please allow a little extra time if traveling through the project in the evening/nighttime hours.
There will be nightly street closures during paving operations. Please allow a little extra time if traveling through the project in the evening/nighttime hours.
Installation of curb, gutter and sidewalks will continue this week at various locations throughout the project.
The pedestrian tunnel remains closed and under construction.
Landscaping work will continue throughout the project through the end of November.

The speed limit through the construction zone remains 30 mph.

Alternative routes

Individuals who generally use the Sunset Boulevard to Bluff Street to St. George Boulevard corridor as their primary east-west route through town may want to consider these two alternate routes:

Dixie Drive or Valley View Drive connecting to Sunset Boulevard.
Red Hills Parkway connecting to Snow Canyon Parkway.

So what’s happening again? Project outcomes

State and city road planners have said for years that improvements to northern Bluff Street are needed to better handle current and future congestion that accompany the area’s continuing growth.

Top: The former configuration of the Bluff Street-Sunset Boulevard intersection. Bottom: The intersection configuration designed to help traffic flow access Sunset Boulevard much more easily as without as much traffic backup. | Image courtesy of the Utah Department of Transportation, St. George News | Click image to enlarge

Bluff Street carries over 44,000 vehicles every day, with that number expected to climb to 65,000 by 2040 as the population increases from over 150,000 to around 321,000.

With that in mind, the following are desired outcomes of the Bluff Street project:

Upgrading and improving all utilities that are buried in the current roadway, including storm drain, culinary water, sewer, fiber optics, gas, electrical and an upgraded advanced traffic-management system.
Increasing capacity with additional northbound and southbound lanes from 100 South to 1250 North through this heavily traveled section of road.
Reconfiguring the intersection at Sunset Boulevard and Bluff Street to improve safety and traffic flow and to handle projected traffic increases.
Adding a dedicated right-turn lane from westbound St. George Boulevard to northbound Bluff Street to improve safety and mobility.

Email: mkessler@stgnews.com

Twitter: @MoriKessler