Interstate 15 North Through the Salt Lake Valley & Salt Lake City

[@JCsouthernmiss]

What people don’t realize about Salt Lake City is that in this video you passed through three MSA’s. That’s why when talking about SLC’s population CSA is the much better metric. It’s more comparable to other MSA’s in terms of distance and inter connectivity

[@Shovel8645]

What a relaxing SUNDAY drive. Any other day is an entirely different video, particularly at peak times. But, hey, you made it from Thanksgiving Point to North Salt Lake in just 9 minutes! Impressive. 😮 That's a joke, btw, as the video was sped up. That said, when Covid hit and everyone other than myself and a couple of delivery guys and semis were on the road, I could do that same 40-mile stretch in about 20 minutes. People don't think it's true, but you could go anywhere doing 110 to 120+ mph because even cops were home. Gotta find the good in the bad! 😂

[@marksmith4582]

Thank you Kyle! This was super refreshing to watch! I recognized most of that even though it’s been several years since I was last through there. I did a lot of OTR driving to the west coast from Iowa! It would bring us right down Parleys Canyon into the Valley and SLC! Excellent Kyle! Appreciate you sharing this with us! I really respect you! Mark in Iowa.

[@InterstateKyle]

Thanks for tuning in Mark! Always enjoy reading your comments!

[@almeisam]

At around 0:53, to the right, is "Point of the Mountain". I've been there a couple of time to fly my paraglider back in the mid-1990's. Glad you caught it!

[@biteme1966]

Long before the Ivory homes were built the Widowmaker was up the hill.

[@mycroft16]

The I-215 transition ramp is one of the best parts of the changes they made. Essentially they take all of the 215 traffic OFF of I-15 4 miles before the belt-route allowing any of the traffic delays for the belt route to be isolated from the main freeway unclogging the two intervening exits with direct access to that ramp off of the surface streets those exits/entrances serve. It's MUCH cleaner. That area could get severely backed up.

[@BlaineK]

UDOT does an incredible job imo. As the area continues to grow, they've only put in more and more effort in an attempt to keep traffic flowing well through the Salt Lake area, and now that they've really done all they could with I-15, they've moved to expanding public transit options, cycling and biking, and now building new freeways. The city is set up very well for the future, hopefully it stays that way

[@ExenitySinister666]

Yea now they need to focus on St. George is southwest Utah it desperately needs better roads

[@mycroft16]

Indeed. Continuing the expansion projects south through Lehi and north through Tremonton will future proof a lot of this as it won't be long before it is one long urban corridor. South UT needs work too. Might as well get out ahead of Beaver and Cedar as well. My only complaint is the obvious issues with lane markings. They say we're going to get highly reflective markers but who knows when that project will start/end. Vegas does an incredible job with those markers. Wish we had those here.

[@legoboy-ox2kx]

​@@mycroft16Yeah, at night and in heavy rain or snow it's impossible to see the lane markers here. I know they haven't done it because most reflective lane markers stick up and would get destroyed by the snow plows, so they have to make cuts in the highway to make them flush, or use some other type of flat reflective marker that won't get torn off by the plows.

[@ExenitySinister666]

@@legoboy-ox2kxst George doesn’t have issues with snow really but we need arguably 4 lanes each way and at least 3 it may only be 220k people living there but we also have all the tourists here too

[@KennethAI]

@@ExenitySinister666it’s not that bad

[@scubarubanzaii]

I’m impressed at how low our travel times actually are.

[@MarleySageGable]

Long time viewer. Exciting to see the hometown!

[@InterstateKyle]

Thank you for watching!

[@juliel.bateson4971]

crazy to see that we had snow on our mountains two months ago

[@mycroft16]

Video starts literally at my freeway exit. lol. Fun to recognize things I'm so familiar with in someones driving video. UDOT did a really good job expanding a significant amount of freeway through here and redesigning a whole bunch of the interchanges for safety and traffic volume. They were NOT expecting the insane growth around Lehi (start of video) though as it became the secondary tech hub of the country (Silicon Slopes). The first 3 exits of your video and frontage roads got a massive redesign to make it all a circular flow to handle dozens of tech startups and office complexes springing up and keeping it all flowing in the same direction with as little cross over as possible. There is a commuter train just off the freeway that is great, and Salt Lake county is continuing to expand light rail and linking to bus routes. UT Co has solid bus options but needs light rail lines desperately and I'd love to see them integrated into high growth areas from the get go. The freeway though has been a pretty big success though insane growth means the expansion is already starting to not be enough at high volume times of day.

[@Bijorak]

thats how i felt. i drove this stretch of freeway everyday for 2 years going to work

[@jonstearns886]

Take this trip everyday as I live in western Salt Lake City and work in Lehi, Utah.

[@mapgravy]

FrontRunner is a way more pleasant ride

[@GReid-ol5gk]

Wow, it's changed quite a bit since the last time I drove this highway back in 2010.

[@mattwiser8406]

Nice one as usual, Kyle. Never been up the 15 that far...FYI Salt Lake might get the 2030 or 34 Winter Olympics.

[@InterstateKyle]

Thanks Matt!

[@mycroft16]

Unlike almost every other Olympic host city all of our Olympic facilities were either already in public use or became public use so they still exist and are in excellent condition. Will significantly lower the cost to host again. They'll do a bunch of modernization upgrades of course, but shouldn't have to build much. And the new airport will be a major plus. Was a lot of fun in 02. Would love to have it here again.

[@grizzfan08]

Because the US is hosting the Summer Games in 2028 (L.A.), the IOC doesn't like the same country hosting the games back to back, so that knocks out 2030 but makes 2034 very possible (fingers crossed).

[@roote4k154]

thank you for sharing this video

[@paveltolz6601]

I-15 along the Wasatch Corridor is 'entertaining' at its best. You must have been transiting the area around 8 am on a Sunday because, otherwise, its nothing less than a Zoo if traffic is moving and, a parking lot from 7:30 am to 10:00 and 4pm to 7 pm.

[@grizzfan08]

Salt Lake City had it right when they redid the freeways in time for the 2002 Winter Olympics (which was a complete success btw, and I hope the city gets to host again in the near future), but now they're really paying for it with a ton of traffic. The only section of freeway in SLC I've been through multiple times is on the 80, and even that's scary at times. But the Wasatch Mountains are so pretty no matter what time of year it is.

[@bubbasizemore4556]

Salt Lake City is a virtual lock to host the 2034 Winter Olympics.

[@doorknob60]

I don't live here but I've been plenty of times. I've never really run into major traffic in SLC. One time I put my cruise on 80 in the HOV lane and didn't have to move or slow down for like 60 miles. The north section from SLC to Ogden is much worse than the southern section towards Provo though. But they're actively making improvements there too. I'd go as far as to say SLC traffic flows smoother than where I live in Boise despite SLC being a much bigger metro. And even with all that, SLC still has an above average (for the US) transit system, something very much not true in Boise.

[@InterstateRaziTV]

Great Video Kyle! SLC is very cool.

[@InterstateKyle]

Thank you!

[@codeguru5024]

Several of your exit sign graphics say "North" when they almost all should be "South" except the last few starting at 600 North

[@joppaz1988]

I miss these videos from you hope you do more

[@InterstateKyle]

Maybe soon!

[@CrystalClearWith8BE]

Ever since SLC's CSA grows, I-15 as the main corridor through the area has been widened, even in 2001, a year before the Winter Olympics began. As of now, it's a good thing I-15 have express HOV toll lanes to help keep the traffic flowing.

[@SigmaRho2922]

The reconstruction project between 1997 and 2001 added a collector/distributor road for exits 294 ABC in the northbound direction even though the exit is 3 miles away from that point.

[@dwood78part23]

Doing a series of I-15 videos in Utah? Be waiting on it. BTW, Idaho DOT's doing the same thing that UDOT's done- widening their freeways to be able to deal with the projected increase in traffic like they done with I-84 in the Boise Metro & is now doing with I-90 in the Coeur d'Alene Metro as well.

[@InterstateKyle]

Not a lot, just three from SLC to the Idaho border. Thanks for watching!

[@tomhanna2714]

I drove 15 north from US 6 at Spanish Fork (lunch at the In&Out, actually, my first) on a West Coast road trip. Labor Day 2023, as a matter of fact. Traffic was still fairly heavy going north and FAST. I was on the phone with my aunt most of the way and rarely under 80mph until hitting construction north of downtown SLC at which point things slowed down quite a bit. I suspect going E-W in Utah is a lot harder due to the local geography though. Beautiful state, as was Idaho, Montana and most everywhere else out West I ended up going. Now the people on the Left Coast, well that is just neither here nor there. Its another story and we will just have to leave it at that.

[@travist.7279]

That is a really cool drive. Glad that you were able to go while there was snow on the mountains. Did you consider taking I-80 east, up toward the mountains? Last time I was up that way, was back in '98. The new freeway is definitely an improvement over the traffic and pothole fest that used to be there. However, they need to get rid of the carpool/toll lanes, and open that space to the general public!

[@melbourneplanespotter3631]

Great work!

[@InterstateKyle]

Thanks!

[@meduimdock]

Hey, I can see my exit from here :D

[@DarksouIjah]

8:09 is the exit to my home. ❤

[@xpsports67]

Another great video! I drive this almost every summer as I trek north to Montana for my annual summer vacations. I consider the 100 or so miles through the corridor, from about Spanish Fork through Ogden, to be pure ****. I agree the infrastructure is fine, the interstate is well-constructed, but the drivers drive like madmen! I'm usually pulling a trailer, which doesn't make the driving any easier. So anyway, I hate that drive! 🙂

[@JCsouthernmiss]

We like to go fast out here 😂

[@jeremiahmiller6431]

I know you're using the current music selection for good reason, but man, I miss the old soundtracks these used to have. The next best thing to driving it myself, classic rock blasting the whole time.

[@mdavid1955]

If you want to see bad freeway design..Come drive I-10 in Baton Rouge or New Orleans LA.

[@grizzfan08]

It's official: Salt Lake City gets to host the 2034 Winter Olympics!!! If there's any road improvements/projects on the list, they better get them done in the next few years.

[@joshbostock4371]

I’m fairly certain that the section of I-15 from I-215 to 600N just north of Downtown was actually widened for the last Winter Olympics! Obviously it has had minor improvements since then but appears to be holding up well!

[@DesertDwight]

Would you ever do the entire Wasatch Front from Ogden to Provo?

[@InterstateKyle]

Maybe one day. I don’t know when I’ll be back, however.

[@pete84101]

Could do a nice 4 part series, I-15 through Utah county, I-15 through Salt Lake county, I-15 through Davis and Weber counties to the I-15 / I-84 split, I-80 through Summit, Salt Lake and Tooele counties

[@DesertDwight]

I 15 in Davis and Weber counties is trash. Every single time I drive from Ogden to SLC I keep an eye out for new pot holes. UDOT did a great job in SL and Utah counties, that stretch of I 15 is great

[@marksmith4582]

Come visit us in the Heartland sometime Kyle! You would be welcomed here in Iowa! Mark.

[@InterstateKyle]

I really need to visit Iowa it’s the only state in the Midwest I haven’t been too.

[@marksmith4582]

I’m sure you won’t regret visiting the Hawkeye State!

[@Jameswormsley319]

🙌🙌🙌

[@mejercit]

I drove through there last October, during my grand road trip?

[@elvador3042]

How long was your trip

[@mejercit]

@@elvador3042 5 days, going in a counter-clockwise direction, staying in Mesquite, Pocatello, Bend, and Cameron Park.

[@KCDashcammer]

I always thought the sprawl on I-15 in metro SLC to be insane, both north and south of the city. Kind of makes up for the almost non-existent sprawl east to west.

[@pete84101]

You do realize that there are mountains to the east and to the west and there is also the Great Salt Lake, so the sprawl is length wise.

[@mycroft16]

The east side has LONG been filled to the limit, right up to the mountains and even climbing the lower slopes in places. West has been largely empty... until the last 5 - 10 years. Salt Lake Co has pushed SIGNIFICANTLY out west. Used to just be I-215. Then they added Bangerter and Legacy. As the west push accelerated out into Daybreak, Harriman and more, now they've added the Mountain View Corridor and designed it as separate N/S with a bunch of room to expand between KNOWING there will be even more high growth. It's already pushing west of that towards the copper mine. Magna and those areas are already pushing up against the mountains and around into Tooele from the north. Down in UT Co the 2100 N road was created as separated directions for growth as well. Redwood Road has been expanded and is the connector for the Mountain View Corridor all they way south of the lake into Goshen/Elberta/Santaquin and there is talk of further expansion of Redwood into a more complete highway especially south of Saratoga Springs around the lakefront. At the south end Nephi is growing rapidly as well. Santaquin and Payson have seen expansion and growth as has Spanish Fork and those surrounding cities. Including west of I-15 into what was just farm/ranch lands. Build up around SF Airport is happening. It won't be long before Nephi/Santaquin/Payson merge together without intervening open lands. The same will apply along US-6 west to the termination of Readwood Rd as those smaller cities start to expand after the main N/S corridor locks up. Just as happened in SL and UT counties. Lehi used to have virtually nothing W of I-15 except Thanksgiving point. It is now nearly solid houses and condo/apt complexes right up to the mountains. And they are building literally as fast as they can right now to accomodate the MASSIVE influx due to the tech industry. In just the last 3 years alone they have added DOZENS of large scale condo/apt complexes, a new hospital, huge support retail growth along Redwood (restaurants, retail, shopping, dentists, grocery, etc). Eagle Mountain has grown significantly as well nearly doubling in size. Though the Army depot and Tooele range will keep growth from moving up the south side into Skull Valley, it will built up very much around there. Eureka is still pretty sleepy though. There was even a serious proposal to build manmade islands for housing IN Utah lake and link the east west shores and islands with a multi-lane highway bridge. Environmental mess and essentially a money scam, didn't pass, but there will need to be a 3rd route to the west of the lake eventually so something is going to happen. US-6 and 2100 N are NOT going to be enough even with expansion to handle the volume. I suspect 145 S exit at S end of SL Co will be rebuilt too. That road already connects into Redwood but it's a windy path through the quarry area. And none of this growth is going to take very long. 5 - 10 years and a lot of it will have already happened. It's moving so fast around here right now.

[@Doooder2]

Are you taking I-15 all the way to Idaho? or I-84?

[@InterstateKyle]

I-15. Haven’t been on I-84 from I-15 to I-86 split… yet lol

[@mycroft16]

I also like the area between the I-80s, multiple exits are taken off the freeway into their own lanes shunting a bunch of traffic off the freeway as well as exit ramps no longer backing up onto the freeway proper, just the purpose built exit segment.

[@BigJessGaming]

It's all good till you get up into Weber County and the absolute mess at Roy/Riverdale. Then it's a total disaster!

[@Lil.Yahmeaner]

I-15 is a mess, from absolute idiots on the road, the exits being stacked on top of each other, to the point of the mountain curve that nobody can take faster than 30mph for some reason makes going south hell. Utah transportation is bad and its only getting worse.

[@bokebryant3985]

0:19 lol

[@Redfour5]

Death race 2000 has nothing on Salt Lake City drivers... Why are you crazy bordering on insane? I avoid the place like the plague when towing and now the "bypass" is all under construction, stops, I change my routes at state levels to not have to go through that city.

[@mycroft16]

I live here, and yeah, Utah drivers are legit insane. Originally from Colorado, have lived in TX too. Pretty reasonable drivers there. The drive from Vegas to LA on Sunday afternoon is a solid traffic jam... that moves at 70mph the entire time with turn signals used extremely well and people let you in and out of lanes for the most part. Despite the stress of 70mph bumper to bumper, it is a relatively easy drive. UT is just nuts. Gotta be extremely alert. Even the cops here drive much more aggressively and crazy.

[@pattiwhite9575]

I do not find that drive pleasurable at all. I thought the traffic was heavy. It is a beautiful place but the freeway is such a long scar on the earth.

[@InterstateKyle]

Salt Lake City’s traffic is a lot better than 80% of the country in other major cities.

[@mycroft16]

How recently have you driving it? That entire stretch used to be 3 lanes only no HOV, no service lanes, poorly designed exits, all that backed up significantly during rush hours. They have been improving and adding since 2000. It is SOOOO much better than what used to be here. And the growth of the region is so rapid that it is starting to show strain again in places. Which is why they have added 2 more loop roads on the west side of the city and have been expanding E/W routes as access to those. I forget which road it is, but they have made the lanes variable direction using overhead lane signs. In the morning they can have 5 eastbound and 2 westbound lanes, and in the evening change it to 5 west and 2 east lanes to handle the changing traffic flow to/from work. That is a really smart solution without having to expand a road already built right up to by TONS of neighborhoods.

[@juliel.bateson4971]

WoW I never knew one could drive that fast on our freeways and get away with it 🫣🤭😉 😜 😜🙃