The Utah Department of Transportation is preparing for a year-long construction project on Geneva Road and Lakeview Parkway, which will begin fall 2024.
The project will widen Geneva Road by the Orem Temple into five lanes: two travel lanes in each direction and a center turning lane, according to the UDOT project outline.
Beau Hunter, UDOT’s consultant for public information on the project, said the road’s design was originally made in May 2022, after the announcement of the Orem Utah Temple.
City and state legislators worked with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and UDOT to prepare Geneva Road for the traffic demand created by the new temple.
“I requested a copy of the traffic study that they had done on that area and that traffic study showed that, that road failed. It failed as far as amenities, sidewalks, lights. It failed as far as turning lanes. It failed as far as stop signs, stoplights … It failed in every direction,” former Orem mayor Richard Brunst said. “I told the Church … strictly as a mayor I can’t approve this because the road won’t take care of this.”
The Utah Legislature approved $25 million for the construction, Brunst added.
While the original plan only addressed Geneva Road from University Parkway to 2000 South, Orem city officials saw there was potential to extend the project past 2000 South to build a new intersection and connect the road with a Provo project on Lakeview Parkway, Hunter said.
This connection is part of the Mountainland Association of Governments’ long-range plan to reduce traffic congestion through the year 2050.
“It won’t be as it is now where you just get on Geneva and you drive straight down to Center Street in Provo,” Hunter said. “Provo … this summer will finish their last leg of Lakeview Parkway … The main north/south movement in the future will be on this Lakeview Parkway to Geneva Road.”
The project will also add a multi-use path for walking, running or biking on the east side of the road, Hunter said.
Road construction was originally scheduled to begin before temple construction but was ultimately postponed to avoid interference with the temple dedication and open house.
“There’s been a lot of coordination with the LDS church, with the temple and their contractor. They’re aware of our plans and what we’re doing — in fact their design and the way they designed the front of it aligned with our design,” Hunter said.
The expansion of Geneva Road will help provide better, safer access to and from the temple, as well as “additional capacity,” Hunter said.
“We’re not seeing congestion out there now, but it should be a lot better travel experience in and out of the temple when we’re done.”
