How to stay safe and navigate Utah’s roads during Memorial Day Weekend

Photo: TownLift // Bailey Edelstein

SALT LAKE CITY — In relation to Memorial Day, The Utah Department of Transportation is recommending that drivers plan ahead for travel delays along the Wasatch Front and Wasatch Back this Friday and Monday due to heavy traffic this weekend.

Drivers should be extremely careful as Utah fatalities are the highest they have been in more than two decades for this time of year, according to an article by KSLTV.

From Jan. 1 to May 26, there have been 116 fatalities compared to 108 fatalities in 2021, and 86 fatalities in 2020 during the same period of time.

The Utah Department of Transportation is urging drivers to make safety a priority this summer and to put an end to rising number of fatalities.

Across the state, most UDOT projects will suspend construction and open all lanes to traffic to help reduce delays during Memorial Day weekend (Friday through Monday). In some work zones however, these restrictions will continue through the weekend where needed to ensure safety or accommodate ongoing construction.

Traffic engineers expect the following delays on Wasatch Front highways:

• Southbound I-15 in Salt Lake County: up to 10-minute delays on Friday, May 27, from 2-5 p.m.
• Southbound I-15 near Nephi: up to 15-minute delays on Friday, May 27, from 2-6 p.m.
• Northbound I-15 in Davis County: up to 15-minute delays on Friday, May 27, from 1-7 p.m.
• Northbound I-15 near Nephi: up to 20-minute delays on Monday, May 30, from 2-7 p.m.
• Westbound US-6 in Spanish Fork Canyon: up to 30-minute delays on Monday, May 30, from 2-7 p.m.

The following list includes projects where drivers should plan for construction conditions including traffic restrictions, reduced speeds, uneven pavement, and narrow or shifting lanes:

• US-40 north of Heber City – Eastbound US-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 completing maintenance work on the concrete pavement in this area and replacing the driving surfaces of the bridges over the Provo River. This work is scheduled for completion in the fall.
•  I-84 near Morgan – I-84 is reduced to one lane in each direction between Morgan (Exit 106) and Henefer (Exit 112). These restrictions are in place 24 hours a day through fall. Crews are completing pavement and bridge maintenance in the area.
• I-80 and I-215 in eastern Salt Lake County – Lanes are shifted on I-80 between 1300 East and 2300 East, and on I-215 between 3300 South and 4500 South. In addition, the southbound I-215 off-ramp at 3900 South is closed through mid-June. 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-70 near the I-15 interchange – I-70 is reduced to one lane in each direction between the Cove Fort exit and I-15. Crews are replacing the driving surface and barrier walls on the I-70 bridge over I-15 through fall.

Construction schedules are weather-dependent and subject to change. For the latest information on traffic restrictions during construction, visit the UDOT Traffic website or download the UDOT Traffic app for iPhone or Android.