Frequently Asked Questions.
What is the purpose of the project?
The purpose of the project is to:
- Improve the east / west regional connectivity of S.R. 30 and U.S. 89
- Eliminate the use of existing and planned north / south road capacity to serve east / west traffic demand;
- Reduce S.R. 30 related delays on Main Street associated with turning movements to accommodate east / west travel, such as currently exists at the 200 North and 400 North intersections.
- Improve the east / west traffic flow conditions and level of service (LOS) on S.R. 30 for the design year 2035.
Why is the project needed?
- Regional Connectivity – S.R. 30 is the only east / west route that functions as a primary arterial in the entire Cache Valley. As such, this route provides important connections to other major transportation systems, including I-15, U.S. 89, and U.S. 91.
- Traffic Demand – East / west traffic volumes west of Main Street between 200 South and 1400 North are projected to increase 123% by the design year 2035. It is anticipated that between 2013 and 2015 the existing east / west capacity will no longer be sufficient.
- Travel Time – By the design year 2035, the travel model forecasts that based on the number of vehicles that would prefer to use S.R. 30, travel time through the S.R. 30 corridor would increase to almost 33 minutes. While the actual travel time would likely be less than 33 minutes because drivers would change their behaviors (e.g., traveling before or after the peak hours or finding alternate routes through the neighborhoods adjacent to S.R. 30), travel times would still be substantially worse than the current 6.75 minute travel time.
- Main Street Intersection Delay – Traffic analysis indicates that S.R. 30 traffic is already using other routes – such as 100 West and 200 West – to avoid Main Street congestion. By the design year 2035, traffic modeling indicates that the intersection delay (200 North and 400 North) on Main Street would increase by 220% over the current conditions if improvements are not made. Again, the actual delay would likely be less as drivers make adjustments due to the congestion, but the travel model does illustrate the excessive demand at these intersections.
*Traffic numbers are subject to change based on updates to the Cache MPO travel model, which are not available yet.
