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A major gateway into what will be Millcreek City is getting a face-lift.

After several years of planning and community meetings, Salt Lake County broke ground Tuesday on a project to rebuild 12 blocks of 2300 East from Interstate 80 to 3900 South.

Done primarily to enhance safety, the $11.5 million project will feature construction of three roundabouts to ease the flow of traffic exiting the freeway into the largely residential area.

The work also will extend sidewalks along both sides of the street, beef up crosswalks, develop bicycle lanes within its corridor and add decorative lighting to spruce up the street's overall appearance.

"It's taken a long time, but sometimes things take time to work out for the best," said Jeff Silvestrini, speaking for the four community councils in Millcreek Township, which will become a city on Jan. 1, 2017, after a decisive vote in last month's election.

He praised Salt Lake County and its Office of Township Services for following through on the slowly unfolding project, predicting future city leaders will maintain a close relationship with the county.

County Councilman Sam Granato, whose district includes Millcreek, said he know this stretch of road needs fixing from 40 years of driving it.

"This job will be done properly," he vowed. "It's vital for the businesses along the corridor as well as the residents."

George Starks is counting on it. He owns Blue Star Juice and Coffee Cafe at 2795 S. 2300 East.

"We've been here for eight years, and every single year we've looked for something to be done on 2300 East," he said, due to traffic flying off the freeway and businesses having ill-defined access points since sidewalks exist in some places and not in others.

"I know it's going to be a tough year," Starks added, "but we're willing to make the sacrifice because we believe in the community. This is something critical to the future development of this community and we support it 100 percent."

To avoid completely snarling the morning commute — and to minimize financial damage to businesses along 2300 East — the county will keep two lanes of traffic open throughout the project, said roadway engineering manager Andrea Pullos.

Initially, those lanes will be pushed to the east side of the roadway corridor so crews can relocate a water line, attach new water service tie-ins, encase an irrigation ditch and install a storm drain.

Moving north from 3900 South toward 3300 South, the work is beginning now because those irrigation and water systems are dry this time of year, added project spokeswoman Leah Jaramillo.

Later this winter, work will begin on the stretch of 2300 East from 3300 South to Claybourne Avenue, where construction of the major roundabout will begin in the spring.

Two smaller roundabouts, technically called "traffic circles," will be installed on Vimont Avenue and Heritage Way to disperse traffic more efficiently, Pullos said.

"Life will still go on along this vital corridor as work goes on," she pledged, noting the county is scheduling meetings for the community to meet the contractor (Geneva Rock) and to educate Rosecrest Elementary School students about being near a construction zone.

A hotline also has been established to handle questions and complaints, Pullos added, and the county is establishing an email tree to dispense project updates, which also will be posted on the county's website.

Township Services Executive Patrick Leary said the federal government contributed $7 million of the $9.3 million construction portion of the project.

"This is a vital corridor into the heart of the Millcreek community," he added.

Questions?

To learn more about the 2300 East construction project:

Send an email to 2300east@slco.org

Call a hotline at 888-966-6624, ext. 4

Go to the county website, http://www.slco.org/townships/2300east