Crews Finish I-215 Repairs After Road Buckles Due To Excessive Heat
Jul 7, 2021, 8:09 AM | Updated: Jul 9, 2021, 4:41 pm
TAYLORSVILLE, Utah — Utah Department of Transportation crews worked overnight to repair concrete on Interstate 215 that buckled due to excessive heat.
Officials with the Utah Highway Patrol said two northbound lanes on I-215’s west belt were closed near 5400 South during Tuesday’s evening commute after the road surface reached 136 degrees Fahrenheit.
“Once the road temperature goes above 123, that’s when we’re likely to see the road buckle,” said UHP Sgt. Mary Kaye Lucas. “They can only do so much and put as much give and take in the roadway in the first place. It’s just one of those hazards of a heat wave.”
Two cars suffered minor damage after driving over the buckled section before troopers could divert traffic.
Highs across the Wasatch Front are expected to remain in the 100s or upper 90s throughout the week, and UDOT crews said the prolonged heat wave could impact other roadways.
“With the next few days being in the hundreds, the problem is this is likely to happen elsewhere — we just can’t predict where,” Lucas said. “There’s no predicting which roadway is going to buckle.”
An excessive heat warning goes into effect for parts of southern Utah Wednesday while the majority of the state will be under an excessive heat advisory.
Heat Advisory…. watch your activity outside this afternoon pic.twitter.com/wmHzBRGSXu
— Grant Weyman (@KSLweyman) July 7, 2021
