The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) will use $194.7 million to build two underpass crossings across Interstate 15 in the city of St. George. The crossings will provide low-income, disadvantaged communities with safe access to parks, schools, hospitals and more. The project will increase connectivity, decrease greenhouse gas emissions and enhance safety for local neighborhoods.
The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) recently delivered $87.6 million to UDOT to support the 400 East and 900 South Interstate Crossings Project. The funds come from the Neighborhood Access and Equity (NAE) grant program. UDOT has not released construction start dates.
The NAE program is designed to improve walkability, safety and affordable transportation access in disenfranchised communities. The 400 East and 900 South Interstate Crossings Project is one of 132 projects that will receive a portion of the $3.3 billion USDOT awarded for Fiscal Year 2023.
The underpasses will provide pedestrians and cyclists easier access to social and cultural amenities. The current crossing options have annual average daily traffic (AADT) counts above 25,000 and have no bike infrastructure. The project will provide improved multimodal travel connections for bikes, pedestrians and motor vehicles.
The project will coincide with an I-15 widening project that includes building additional lanes. As part of the project, UDOT will raise the highway to accommodate the underpasses. The city of St. George is located 120 miles northeast of Las Vegas.