West Davis highway set to open in January — months ahead of schedule

Jonathon Sharp
·2 min read

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The biggest highway construction project in Utah is set to open to drivers next month — well ahead of schedule.

Mitch Shaw, a UDOT spokesperson, said Thursday that the West Davis Highway will open to motorists in northern Utah on Jan. 6 at 11:30 a.m.

$26M project aims to make Wasatch Front highway markings actually visible when wet

“This is the biggest project we have going on in the entire state of Utah right now, and it’s the biggest project we’ve had in over a decade,” Shaw said. “We’re going to start out the new year with a new road.”

The 16-mile, four-lane divided highway in western Davis County is opening several months ahead of schedule. Transportation officials initially planned to have drivers on the highway in the summer of 2024. Construction on the $475 million project started in 2021.

According to Shaw, the reason for the expedited opening can be attributed to good work and communication from the contractor, Farmington Bay Constructors, which was able to speed up construction at certain points.

The new highway is expected to significantly reduce traffic in northern Utah. The road connects to I-15 around Glovers Lane in Farmington and extends to 4500 West near the city West Point.

“Essentially, we’re creating another alternative to I-15,” Shaw said. “So people that are commuting north and south will have a new highway to travel on.”

This image shows a map of the West Davis Highway Project. (Courtesy of UDOT)
This image shows a map of the West Davis Highway Project. (Courtesy of UDOT)

The creation of the highway was a response to Utah’s rapid population growth over the last decade. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Utah’s population increased by more than 18% from 2010 to 2020, the fastest rate of any state in the nation.

Much of that growth can be seen west of 1-15, as new communities appear and expand. Shaw said the West Davis Highway Project was needed as “subdivisions continue to pop up in the western portions of Davis County.”

Aside from the new highway, the West Davis project also adds 10 miles of walking and biking trails that connect to Legacy Parkway.

When the new highway opens on Jan. 6, there’ll be a celebration event featuring a two-mile fun run, music, hot chocolate, and donuts.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.