US-189 in Provo Canyon to see closures, delays as widening project continues

A visualization of what the new split highway could look like. Photo: Utah Department of Transportation

WASATCH COUNTY, Utah — The Utah Department of Transportation is urging drivers to expect major travel delays on US 189 in Provo Canyon on Dec. 18, 20, and 21, including an overnight closure Saturday night into Sunday morning as crews continue work on the US-189 widening project.

The project is widening the last section of US 189 along Deer Creek Reservoir that only has one lane each direction. Once the new northbound lanes are complete, crews will shift traffic onto the new road and begin work on the southbound lanes in the summer of 2026.

On Thursday, crews will temporarily close US-189 between Main Canyon Road in Wallsburg and the intersection of State Route 113 in Charleston from 10-10:50 a.m. for controlled blasting. Crews will be clearing a path over the hillside for new northbound lanes. Additional blasting is planned in January.

Crews will then begin lane closures in the same area on Saturday at 9:30 p.m., leading to a full closure of US-189 from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. on Sunday for excavation work. After the overnight closure, traffic will shift into one-way alternating traffic with flaggers until 9 a.m.

Because of the overnight closure and the extended period of one-way alternating traffic, UDOT recommends drivers change the timing of their trip or use alternate routes on the evening of Dec. 20 and the morning of Dec. 21.