Construction on the 1600 North improvement project in Orem could start as early as this summer, a Utah Department of Transportation official confirmed Wednesday.

The road will be widened to five lanes between 1200 West and State Street in Orem and part of Lindon and will include upgraded intersections at 1200 West, 800 West and State Street.

Bike lanes will be added to both sides of the road and a pedestrian sidewalk will be placed on the south side of the street.

“We look at this as a great way to improve the route between (Interstate 15) and State Street in the north Orem and south Lindon area,” said Wyatt Woolley, a spokesperson for UDOT Region 3. “And so 1600 North will become our road, and we’re going to widen it, mostly to the south of the road as it winds its way between 1200 West to State Street. And it will greatly improve the capacity of that route.”

The objective of the project, according to UDOT’s environment study, is to reduce the traffic time and queue length during peak afternoon and evening hours and provide a strong east-west connection to the freeway and the Lindon and Orem communities.

UDOT estimates construction will be completed in 2026.

The process began in 2018 when Orem conducted a study to evaluate widening the roads from three to five lanes. In 2019, Orem and Lindon transferred ownership and maintenance of the road to UDOT, and it was integrated as state Route 241.

An environmental study on the project began in late 2021 and was completed in early 2023. The project plans were finalized last year, Woolley said.

To expand the lanes requires land acquisition and temporary easement. The environmental study’s preferred plan involved acquiring at least 24 homes. Homes are actively being demolished along the route.

Woolley said the land acquisition is a part of UDOT’s “right-of-way” process.

“We determine what properties are going to be impacted and we then approach all of them way ahead of time,” he said. “So they’ve known about this for years. And then we go to each and every one and figure out what’s the best means for each property owner.”

A KSL TV investigation last week announced UDOT is suing an Orem man after he complained that UDOT failed to account for his backyard automotive shop in its appraisal. The resident, Tim Vincent, has refused to leave his home.

According to court documents, the lawsuit was filed against Vincent in Provo District Court on Jan. 13.