Crews inspect more than 150 Utah bridges per month Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) crews inspected one of Salt Lake’s “Spaghetti Bowl” bridges with ultrasonic testing yesterday. This technology uses a transducer to transmit high frequency sound waves into difficult-to-see parts of a bridge, searching for damage, deterioration or any other factors that may raise […]
UDOT celebrates one year of West Davis Highway, completes study for next expansion
One year after officially opening, the West Davis Highway (SR-177) is improving travel on I-15 in Davis County and on local roads for drivers. Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) engineers have observed about 28,000 vehicles per day use the new 16-mile, four-lane divided highway. “That’s 28,000 vehicles that are also not on I-15,” UDOT Project […]
Surplus Property Auction
UDOT acquires property for transportation projects but once the project has been completed, and it is determined that the property is not needed for any future transportation purposes, it become surplus. The surplus properties may then be sold to interested parties and in some cases sold through an auction process. UDOT is holding an auction […]
UDOT engineers new asphalt blend that is transforming the paving industry
The long-lasting asphalt HiMod blend will reduce time, costs, and repairs The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has developed a weather-resistant, durable asphalt mix that is transforming the way Utah is repaving roads and reducing paving costs, time, and repairs. In asphalt mixes, crushed rock is mixed with binders that act as a glue. UDOT’s […]
UDOT secures funds to implement more efficient digital construction technology
The funds, totaling $6.25 million, will help create a paperless, digital infrastructure for building plans The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has been awarded nearly $5 million in federal grant funding to advance the implementation of digital construction technology. The funds will help UDOT improve design, construction, and asset maintenance databases to interact more efficiently […]
Utah ranked best in the nation for condition of highway bridges
Utah’s bridges are the best maintained in the nation, according to a recent report issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Highways Administration (FHWA). Utah has the lowest percentage of bridges on the National Highway System (which includes interstates and other key U.S. highways) classified in “poor” condition out of all 50 states. Only […]
Adjustments to Standard Specifications and Drawings Process
Beginning in May 2021 UDOT began digitally publishing its Standard Drawing Book and Standard Specification Book for contractors and consultants annually at the start of what has traditionally been considered the construction season. Previously, these books were published every four years in hard-bound volumes, with paper supplemental specifications and drawings printed as needed. “Quite frankly, […]
Innovative Contracting
In recent years UDOT has been able to implement innovative bridge building techniques but do you know what the impetus for this was? It started with innovative contracting. By utilizing these types of contracts we are able to involve the construction industry earlier for more efficient delivery of our projects. We use three basic contract […]
A behind-the-scenes look at the materials lab
Before UDOT employees reroute traffic, before they begin paving the road and even before they put out orange cones, they are hard at work. This work requires communication between traffic signal engineers, project managers and others – but none of it would happen without the approval from the materials engineers. The behind-the-scenes work done by […]
First Line of Defense
Bond is critical when it comes to installing a protective bridge deck overlay.