Interstate 15 in Utah County, mainly in Provo, may be getting more exits and entrances -- though when construction will happen and how it will get paid for is still up in the air.

Last week, the Provo Municipal Council received a presentation on a proposed $3 billion freeway upgrade running from Bangerter Highway in Salt Lake to Payson, including ideas for revamping the system of freeway entrances and exits from south Orem to south Provo.

The Utah Department of Transportation put forward four options to get people on and off the crowded section of freeway.

The options cover a variety of mid-county transportation possibilities, including new entrances, exits, a frontage road access system and a flyover exit.

UDOT spokesman Geoff Dupaix said that a frontage road system is more expensive than building interchanges. Frontage roads, however, have a much lighter impact, especially when hooking up local roads to the freeway.

"An interchange takes up a fair among of space, and trying to connect it to a local road has more impact," he said.

UDOT is not proposing additional exits in Provo without the frontage road system, but all four options call for changes to the Center Street interchange.

If a frontage road system is not used, UDOT's recommendation for Center Street is what's known as a "Single Point Urban Interchange," or SPUI, which is what drivers use at I-15 and University Parkway in Orem.

The proposals also include plans for a possible new interchange at 800 South in Orem and a fly-over exit for University Parkway that would allow cars to exit the freeway without stopping at the end of the off ramp.

The earliest that construction could be expected to begin for any of these options is in 2011 or 2012, according Dupaix.

The plans are still undergoing environmental impact assessments, which won't be finished until 2008.

There's no date set for the start of construction because money hasn't been assigned to the project.

"Until it is funded, it is difficult to say," said Dupaix.

Provo Mayor Lewis Billings, however, is confident that the Utah Legislature will do their part in delivering money for the project.

"I appreciate the Legislature on this," said Billings, noting his gratitude for the work of local legislators in trying to secure transportation funding for Utah County.

The Utah Legislature approved several transportation funding measures this year, including a provision directing certain tax revenues collected in an area be used for road projects in that area. That bill was signed by Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. in February.

The bill received heavy support in Utah County. Rep. Craig Frank, R-Pleasant Grove and the bill's sponsor, said he hopes the legislation brings some of the decision-making on highway projects to the local level.

Billings is pushing to get the project moving as fast as possible, since the project becomes more expensive the more it's delayed.

"They are adding $400,000 every day that we don't build this," Billings said.

Nathan Johnson can be reached at 344-2543 or at njohnson@heraldextra.com.

Option A

New interchange at 800 South

Frontage road system from University Parkway to Provo Center Street

Reconstruct Provo Center Street interchanges as a diamond

Option B

Flyover for the I-15 southbound exit to University Parkway Eastbound

Frontage road system from University Parkway to Provo Center Street

Reconstruct Provo Center Street interchanges as a diamond

Option C

New interchange at 800 South

Reconstruct Provo Center Street interchange as a SPUI

Option D

Flyover for the I-15 southbound exit to University Parkway Eastbound

Direct connection to UVSC from the 1-15 Northbound exit at University Parkway

Reconstruct Provo Center Street interchange as a SPUI

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page D1.