Suzanne Dean
Publisher
9-29-2016
What appear to be patches in about 25 places along state highways in the county are actually efforts to level out roads for safety reasons, according to a Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) official.
The official said lane-leveling work is being done all over the state to try to prevent standing water on roads. Eliminating standing water reduces the potential of cars hydroplaning during heavy rainstorms. During winter, it also helps prevent black ice, which can send cars into spins, he said.
One notable location where lane-leveling patches have been installed in Sanpete County is on U.S. 89 about a half mile south of Ephraim.
The new surfacing was put in a couple of weeks ago. Traffic was limited to one lane in each direction for two days while the asphalt was going in.
Other resurfacing has occurred along U.S. 89 near Fairview, at Strate’s Junction outside Spring City, in Sterling and Axtell.
And about 15 of the lane-leveling patches have gone in on S.R. 28 between Gunnison and Nephi.
Right now, some of the patches are a little rough “but traffic will smooth them out,” the official said. Paint crews should be arriving in the next week or two to repaint the areas, which will tie them in with the adjacent highways.
