LEHI — Constructing a freeway on 2100 North isn’t just a road project, it’s “transformational,” according to Sen. Heidi Balderree, of Saratoga Springs.

“This 2100 North freeway is not just a financial investment, it’s an investment in people,” Balderree said during a groundbreaking for the 2100 North freeway project on Wednesday.

The Utah County senator said all the hard work it took between state, county and city leaders was “work worth doing” to get this project to become a reality.

“It’s an investment in reclaiming back time with our families, traveling safer, more reliable commutes, granting greater access to opportunity and uniting ourselves as stronger, more connected communities,” she said.

The 2.8-mile freeway will connect I-15 to Mountain View Corridor with freeway-style interchanges and use the existing 2100 North lanes as frontage roads. Construction will also include 14 new bridges, two pedestrian bridges and miles of shared pathways for runners, walkers and bikers.

The freeway will reduce congestion, connect communities more efficiently, improve reliability, separate local and through traffic and reduce cut-through traffic in neighborhoods to make them safer for families, Balderee added.

Living in a time with extraordinary growth in this part of the state means elected officials have extra responsibility to plan ahead, invest wisely and “build infrastructure that serves people not just for today, but for generations,” Balderee said.

“Today, we break ground, but more importantly, we build connection. As we move this earth today, let’s remember that we aren’t just pouring concrete, we are weaving the fabric of Utah’s future,” Balderee said. “This freeway will do more than just move vehicles. We will shorten the distance between families, sync our growing economies and bridge the gap between where we are and where we are going.”

Utah Department of Transportation Executive Director Carlos Braceras said the freeway is expected to save people 12 minutes in each direction, totaling 24 minutes of “time given back to the people of this area.”

Utah Rep. Kay Christofferson, chair of the House Transportation Committee, said this project was a “perfect example” of corridor preservation and looking ahead. House Speaker Mike Schultz echoed similar sentiments, saying that projects in which groups work together to invest and think long term help Utah succeed.

“Utah continues to succeed because we are willing to invest in infrastructure and think long term, even when the benefits might not be realized today but years from now,” Schultz said. “When we work together with a long-term vision, we will build more than just roads; we will build a foundation for the next generation of Utah’s prosperity.”

Utah County Commissioner Skyler Beltran said his family moved into Lehi, just off of 2100 North, a decade ago. He has seen the growth of the western portion of the county firsthand and said this freeway is a “very big day for us.”

Beltran shared the story of a Utah County couple who can no longer attend their grandchildren’s sporting events in Eagle Mountain on weeknights because the traffic is just too bad. With this new freeway, those grandparents can spend more time with their grandchildren again.

“This is not a road project. This is a people project. This is a families project. Utah values families, and we’re going to put families together for 30 more minutes, and that is the most important thing we can do,” Beltran said.

Project manager Andrew Jordan said the “forethought and vision” in the transportation system are on display with this project, as it began being preserved years ago to allow for expansion now, when the community needs it.

“It’s exciting. I am a local resident and understand the frustrations the existing commuters are facing and the relief that this will provide,” Jordan said.

The freeway is anticipated to be completed and operational in late 2028. The approximately $600 million project is just one part of almost $2 billion of investments throughout northwest Utah County to improve transportation, Jordan added.