Construction on state Route 36 through Tooele, Erda and Lake Point will increase for the final phase of work this week.
On Wednesday, crews are expected to begin upgrading radar sensor systems at all currently existing signals between Vine Street in Tooele and I-80 in Lake Point.
Road conditions in the Eastern U.S. have delayed shipment of needed equipment, said Rodney Ruby, the resident engineer on the project. Consequently, the bulk of the signal upgrades will be delayed until next week.
If all goes as planned, once those materials arrive, work crews should be able to install upgrades at one intersection a day, added Ruby. The workers will follow the route, working from north to south.
According to a UDOT press release, the upgrades should not result in any significant difference in signal functionality, but will make the system more efficient overall.
Work on the signals is expected to result in some intermittent through and turn-lane restrictions during off-peak hours. When the upgraded radar sensors are actually installed, law enforcement will restrict traffic through the intersection under construction to one direction at a time, for about ten minutes, said Ruby.
The bulk of the work will take place during the workweek, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., with work at night and on weekends as needed.
The construction is part of an ongoing state Route 36 upgrade that is intended to prevent head-on collisions. Crews have already installed rumble strips and a concrete median along the bulk of the route between Tooele and Lake Point. Full completion is expected later this month.