Flex lanes are UDOT's answer to 5400 South congestion

(Taylorsville/Kearns Journal) The Utah Department of Transportation will build the state’s first flex lane system of traffic control on 5400 South in Taylorsville, between Bangerter Highway and Redwood Road.

That stretch of roadway is considered one of the most congested in the state, and a UDOT survey in May reported that 82 percent of respondents said congestion along that thoroughfare is “major” during rush hour.

An open house seeking input on the final design was scheduled rather quickly after the announcement was made on Oct. 14, with the open house held Oct. 20 at Taylorsville City Hall.

The flex lane concept is popular for highway departments because it is relatively easy to construct and much lower in cost than rebuilding a roadway. In essence, during morning rush hour, four lanes of the six-lane stretch of 5400 South will be used for eastbound traffic, with just two lanes for westbound vehicles. In the evening, that reverses, with four lanes open for westbound traffic off of I-15 and two lanes set aside for eastbound. The “center” lanes will be regulated with special traffic lights, so motorists will know which lanes are open in the direction they are going.

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