The first thing to do to get out of a hole is to stop digging. That's why we agree with the decision of Utah's state road builders to stop new projects until the Legislature has a chance a deal with state budget shortfalls early next year.

Because the slowing economy has caused state revenues to crater, and with them the ability to pay for new or improved roads, the Utah Department of Transportation has canceled new projects that aren't already under contract. That will slam the brakes on major projects like widening I-15 in Utah County.

That's prudent. Given chaos in the stock market, frozen credit, rising home mortgage foreclosures, soaring personal bankruptcies and multiplying job layoffs, the road builders did the right thing to call a halt.

We say this knowing that the work stoppage will make Utah's economic recession worse in the short term. The people who would be working on about $2 billion worth of postponed road construction now won't be, at least temporarily, and that will probably mean job losses and even further reductions in state revenues. The good news is that crews will keep working on another $2 billion in projects already under way.

But since no one knows how deep or wide this recession will be, there's no sense getting Utah into a position where it cannot make payments on its construction bonds. Besides, with sales tax revenues down 9 percent, and the situation likely to get much worse, the state will need every dollar to support critical services, particularly to people who have lost their jobs or homes.

In January, legislators will face grim choices. Ideally, the state would take on more debt to keep road construction jobs going. But compared to Uncle Sam, the state's financial options are extremely limited. As a result, any new economic stimulus to build public works probably will have to come from Washington.

Utah could increase gasoline or sales taxes to collect more revenue, but that is exactly the wrong policy during a recession. Falling oil prices might give a little room for the former, however, and Utah County could at least tax itself as much for transportation as others do on the Wasatch Front.

Our consolation is that business cycles always turn, and with prudent management, this one will, too. These projects have been postponed, not canceled.