West Jordan residents may have been hearing noise, construction and seeing a lot of dust this year because of the 8600 South bridge project. This is a much needed bridge to accommodate the growth of West Jordan. The new bridge is above Mountain View Corridor on 8600 South to connect 6000 West and 5600 West. The city is trying to make it easier for residents to get around. The bridge will connect neighborhoods and the roads will be throughways instead of side streets and neighborhood roads. The bridge will alleviate traffic that goes through side streets and neighborhoods. 

“This will mostly help alleviate the traffic on the west side due to the growth on the west side. With that growth comes new roads,” Public Information Manager for the city Marie Magers said.

This project started in February and is projected to be finished in the fall of 2024. The finish date is contingent and could be pushed back due to weather, supply chain difficulties with equipment and supplies and a myriad of other unforeseen circumstances that may arise with such a large project.  

This is a steel bridge that stretches 312 feet. It is estimated the crews will be moving around 160,000 cubic yards of dirt in and out of the work zone. The bridge will be about 16 feet above Mountain View Corridor. The bridge will be surrounded by an ornamental fence that will be pleasing to look at while traveling.

The bridge will have a sidewalk for bicyclists and pedestrians. The neighborhood that is across the street from Copper Hills High School will be able to use the bridge to get straight to Ron Wood Park. Where the bridge connects is a roundabout that ends in Ron Wood Park. 

“It is connecting an entire part of West Jordan that wasn’t connected before to one of the biggest parks in the city,” Magers said. 

West Jordan has been aware that the infrastructure needed to be worked on. It has been a matter of getting the funding to make interconnected roads and build bridges. With the growing population in West Jordan, it needs the change that the bridge will bring to the area. 

“One of the many things we’re trying to do is better the east to west traffic,” Magers said. 

The project has an email and text for residents to sign up on to get updates about the project and find out about any closures or any other information you might want to know. This is a public information email or text message. Go to www.8600southbridge.com. You can call the information hotline at 801-255-6710. λ