UDOT Repairing Potholes On I-15 After Multiple Flat Tires
Oct 10, 2018, 2:26 PM
LEHI, Utah – At least two dozen cars experienced flat tires thanks to potholes on I-15.
Motorists driving southbound on the highway in Lehi around 6 a.m. Wednesday began to hit potholes — with many reporting popped tires as a result.
Traffic continued to back up as lanes were reduced and cars pulled off the road for repairs. It was bumper-to-bumper for hours after the first car hit a pothole.
The rain on the old pavement has not been an ideal combination, officials said. It’s an issue the Utah Department of Transportation is working to take care of before it gets worse.
“That’s a top priority right now — to fix the road damage that’s done here today,” UDOT spokesperson John Gleason said. “But also to look to the future here as we near the winter months, to make sure this isn’t a repeat occurrence every time it rains or snows here.”
Utah Highway Patrol reported it had helped at least 25 people change flat tires, and UDOT will be footing the bill for those who had to be towed.
No injuries were reported, but this is the second time in as many weeks that the project at 2100 North and I-15 has impacted drivers.
A similar situation unfolded Oct. 5 when heavy rains eroded materials around a drainage pipe, exposing a lip in the pavement that popped tires and brought traffic to a crawl. As many as a dozen vehicles were damaged, and traffic was congested throughout the day as UDOT worked to fix the problem.
Officials want to remind drivers the speed is 60 miles per hour in the area and to drive with caution through construction zones. Reducing speed is not only good for the workers, but for the motorists’ vehicles as well.