The ongoing U.S. Highway 89 project extending Farmington to I-84 in Ogden has become a hot topic among Davis County residents directly impacted by the project, though many Fruit Heights residents said they are excited to see the project’s completion.

The Utah Department of Transportation, who is spearheading the project, said it will improve traffic flow on U.S. 89 and at connections with local cross streets by widening U.S. 89 to three lanes in each direction. That widening will run from Main Street in Farmington to Utah State Route 193 in Layton, adding interchanges – bridges over U.S. 89 with on/off ramps – at 200 North/400 North, Oak Hills Drive, Gordon Avenue and Antelope Drive. Bridges will also be added over U.S. 89 at Nicholls Road and Crestwood Road, and the project will complete a three-mile extension of the existing Gordon Avenue in Layton to connect it to U.S. 89.

While residents in the area said the noise and inconvenience of the project has gotten to be annoying, they believe the easier traffic flow will make the nuisances worth it.

“We’ve endured a lot of ground shaking and noise and all sorts of things, but we’re excited to put things back together,” said Dan Davidson, a Fruit Heights resident.

Davidson lives near the 200 North/400 North intersection where UDOT plans to expand the highway, and after buying his house, Davidson was notified that the state owned part of what he believed to be his property, which originally created some confusion and frustration.

“There were a lot of unknowns and we realized it would be okay at the end of the day, but it wasn’t easy,” Davidson said.

After UDOT released the finalized project, however, Davidson grew more fond of it and felt UDOT communicated well and listened to concerns from community members.

“They’ve done their best to give due diligence and overall they’ve been great to work with,” he said.

Rebecca Bates, a three-year Fruit Heights resident, said she is also excited for the project to lighten the traffic flow on Nicholls Road, which she said currently sees more and more traffic each year as Fruit Heights continues to grow.

“I don’t mind tolerating the annoyance while they put it together because I know it will be awesome when they finally get it put together,” Bates said. “Our population keeps growing and as they develop the housing out here, our traffic is going to continue.”

Bates also commutes to Salt Lake County and believes the Highway 89 connection in Fruit Heights will help ease the commute.

“I think it will make the commute a lot easier,” she said.