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Salt Lake City completes 600/700 North rebuild

Salt Lake City completes 600/700 North rebuild

Built World Salt Lake City, UT local

Two-year project adds protected bike lanes, crosswalks and a new Jordan River bridge while keeping four travel lanes.

Yesterday: Salt Lake City announces completion

Overview

Updated 1 hour ago

For years, 600/700 North carried more than 21,000 vehicle trips a day on failing pavement. Angled crashes made up over half of collisions, and three-fourths happened at intersections. On Nov. 9, Salt Lake City said two years of construction are complete.

The rebuilt street keeps all four travel lanes. It adds protected bike lanes, safer crosswalks, curb extensions, a center median and more than 200 trees. A new 650 North bridge over the Jordan River replaces a structurally deficient span and is designed to better withstand earthquakes and major floods.

Why it matters

The rebuild changes how thousands of daily trips cross Salt Lake City’s west side, especially for students walking to Backman Elementary.

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Key Indicators

$20M
Project cost
Funded by a city sales tax bond and UDOT’s transportation investment fund.
21,000
Daily vehicle trips before construction
The corridor connects with I-15 and I-215.
200+
New trees planted
Trees will add shade along the corridor as they grow.
4
Travel lanes retained
The city kept all four lanes while adding safety features.
2 years
Construction duration
Work began in 2025 and finished in 2026.

Voices

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People Involved

MS
Mark Stephens
City Engineer, Salt Lake City
Oversaw completion of 600/700 North project
 Erin Mendenhall
Erin Mendenhall
Mayor of Salt Lake City
Mayor; project tied to citywide traffic safety efforts

Organizations Involved

Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City
Municipal government
Project owner and lead agency

City government that rebuilt 600/700 North between 800 West and Redwood Road.
Utah Department of Transportation
Utah Department of Transportation
State agency
Partner on 650 North bridge replacement

State agency that replaced the Jordan River bridge at 650 North.

Timeline

2018 November 2026

6 events Latest: Yesterday
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Community celebration scheduled at Backman Elementary

    Upcoming Event

    City invites neighbors to celebrate the new connection from 5 to 7 p.m.

  2. Salt Lake City announces completion

    Latest Completion

    City says two years of construction are done on 600/700 North.

  3. Construction begins on 600/700 North

    Construction

    Work started in spring 2025 and was expected to last into 2026.

  4. UDOT replaces Jordan River bridge

    Construction

    Bridge work required a six-to-eight-month closure of the road section.

  5. Planning begins for 600/700 North

    Planning

    City started planning reconstruction after identifying failing pavement, storm drain issues and safety concerns.

  6. Residents approve road bond for other corridors

    Funding

    Funded other corridor overhauls, not 600/700 North.

Scenarios

1

Crash rates fall on 600/700 North

Possible Resolves by Nov 9, 2027

Discussed by: Salt Lake City transportation officials and Vision Zero tracking

The city has said it will track safety data from the rebuilt corridor. If crashes decline compared with the pre-construction period, the project becomes evidence for similar redesigns. The first full year of data will show whether the new median, crosswalks and curb extensions changed driver behavior.

2

Walking and biking counts rise on the corridor

Possible Resolves by Nov 9, 2027

Discussed by: Salt Lake City transportation planners

Protected bike lanes and safer crosswalks are meant to make walking and biking more comfortable. If the city’s counts show more people using the corridor on foot or bike, the project meets its active transportation goals. If counts stay flat, the design may not have changed travel habits.

3

City funds another corridor rebuild with similar design

Uncertain Resolves by Q2 2028

Discussed by: Salt Lake City Council and transportation officials

The project’s completion could support future road reconstructions that keep travel lanes while adding protected bike lanes and medians. A capital budget that funds another such corridor would show the design is becoming standard. If no similar project is funded, this remains a one-off.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2018

Salt Lake City's 2018 road bond

Residents approved a bond that funded overhauls of busy corridors including 200 South, 300 West, 900 South and 1100 East/Highland Drive. The bond did not cover 600/700 North, which connects with I-15 and I-215.

Then

Those corridors were rebuilt in the years that followed.

Now

600/700 North remained a failing road and later needed a separate mix of city sales tax bond money and UDOT funds.

Why this matters now

Explains why this project had a different funding path and why it was targeted after other major streets.

2020

Planning and COVID-era outreach for 600/700 North (2020)

Salt Lake City began planning the reconstruction in 2020. COVID-19 made normal open houses difficult, so the city used online surveys and in-person demonstrations of possible designs.

Then

Public comments shaped the final plan, which added a median, crosswalks and separated bike paths.

Now

The project moved into construction in 2025 and finished in 2026.

Why this matters now

Shows how community input shaped the street design that opened this week.

Sources

(2)
SLC.gov KSL.com