Bangerter Highway Interchanges Improve Mobility and Safety in Utah

Client

Ralph L. Wadsworth Construction

Location

Salt Lake County, UT

Challenge

As communities across Utah’s Salt Lake Valley continued to grow, so did the traffic on Bangerter Highway. This essential north-south corridor became increasingly congested, with longer waits at busy intersections, slower commutes, and growing safety concerns for the thousands of people who rely on the roadway every day.

To improve traffic flow, mobility, and safety, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) launched a major improvement program to replace four signalized intersections with freeway-style, grade-separated interchanges. The project also required relocating nearly 3,000 feet of a 66-inch aqueduct – all while minimizing disruption for the more than 60,000 motorists who travel the corridor each day.

The four interchanges are in four different municipalities: Taylorsville, South Jordan, Riverton, and Bluffdale. An intense schedule was set: UDOT officials wanted the interchanges completed in about two- and-a-half years so they could move on to the next phase of their quest to make Bangerter Highway stoplight-free.

Solution

While most of the project was completed using a design-build process, the 4700 South segment was contracted and managed as a progressive design build (PDB) project. The goal of this innovative approach was to minimize disruptions in these high-traffic areas.

Terracon served as the geotechnical designer on the project. We also supported construction efforts with materials quality control inspection and testing services.

To meet both quality and efficiency goals for this critical infrastructure project, two full-time Terracon inspectors were dedicated to the project at peak construction. Our Salt Lake City team performed field observations, inspections, and testing of soils, aggregate base course, hot-mix asphalt, concrete, and structural steel to provide project stakeholders with timely information to support swift decision-making.

Results

The program was completed on schedule, transforming four major intersections into freeway-style interchanges that improve traffic flow, enhance safety, and support long-term mobility throughout the corridor. The improvements now save travelers an estimated eight to 20 minutes in commute time while helping accommodate continued growth across the Salt Lake Valley. The project also incorporated recycled concrete to reduce construction waste and achieved more than 327,000 work hours with zero lost-time incidents.

The safety impacts of the project earned national recognition when the Bangerter Highway Interchange Reconstruction Program received the 2026 America’s Transportation Award in the WASHTO Region Safety Large Project category. By helping UDOT deliver critical transportation improvements efficiently and safely, Terracon contributed to a project that improves daily travel for thousands of Utah residents while strengthening connections across the region for years to come.