UDOT: Minimal delays expected on Utah’s roads over Fourth of July weekend
Jun 30, 2023, 6:05 PM | Updated: 6:31 pm
NEPHI, Utah — The five-day Independence Day weekend should be mostly smooth sailing on Utah’s roadways, according to the Utah Department of Transportation.
“With July 4 falling on a Tuesday this year, UDOT engineers project that traffic will be split among multiple days and delays will be less severe than on other holiday weekends,” read a UDOT press release.
Additional 10-minute delays were expected Friday afternoon and evening along Interstate 15 in Salt Lake, Davis and Juab counties as travelers headed out of town.
Projected weekend travel delays (Friday, June 30th):
NB I-15 Davis County: up to 10 minutes (2pm-7pm)
NB I-15 Salt Lake County: up to 10 minutes (3pm-7pm)
SB I-15 Nephi Area: up to 10 minutes (2pm-5pm)— Utah DOT (@UtahDOT) June 30, 2023
The Utah Highway Patrol is asking drivers to slow down, pay attention, wear seatbelts and be patient and courteous. They said the goal is to have everyone arrive safely at their Independence Day celebrations.
“We would hope that people would maintain their cars. We’re seeing a lot of flat tires,” said Lt. Scott Robertson. “We’re seeing a lot of impaired drivers. A lot of speeding.”
UDOT said most construction projects will be paused from Friday through Tuesday so that all lanes can be open to traffic. However, that’s not possible in all work zones.
(KSL TV)
UDOT provided the following list of work areas where motorists could encounter construction conditions:
- U.S. Highway 40, north of Heber City
- Eastbound U.S. 40 is reduced to one lane north of Heber City near Jordanelle Reservoir. Drivers should expect heavy truck traffic and travel delays, especially Friday afternoon. Crews are replacing the driving surface of the bridge over the Provo River. This work is scheduled for completion in late summer.
- I-15 in Nephi
- All lanes on I-15 will be open for the holiday. However, beginning Wednesday, July 5, I-15 will be reduced to one lane in each direction 24 hours a day Sunday through Thursday (southbound) and Monday through Saturday (northbound). Crews are repairing concrete pavement and completing maintenance work on several bridges along an 18-mile section of the interstate. Construction is scheduled to continue through the end of the year.
- Interstate 80 and Interstate 215 in eastern Salt Lake County
- Lanes are shifted on I-80 between 1300 East and 2300 East, and lanes are split on I-215 between 3300 South and 4500 South. Crews are reconstructing these sections of I-80 and I-215 by removing existing pavement and replacing it with new concrete. This project is also replacing or widening bridges at 1300 East, 1700 East, 2000 East and 2300 East, and is adding a new eastbound lane on I-80. All lanes are scheduled to be open by late 2023.
- I-15 in Farmington
- Lanes are shifted on I-15 between Parrish Lane in Centerville and 200 West in Farmington for construction of the new bridges that will connect I-15 to the future West Davis Highway. Construction on this project is scheduled for completion in 2024.
