This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The good news for the busiest travel week of the year is that the Utah Department of Transportation will open an extra lane of travel on Interstate 15 in construction zones around Point of the Mountain for Thanksgiving travelers.

The more troublesome news is that rain and snow are expected Wednesday and Thursday, possibly complicating travel. In addition, the Salt Lake City International Airport is urging passengers to arrive extra early for flights because of expected big crowds Wednesday.

And don't expect to ride Utah Transit Authority buses and trains on Thanksgiving. They are closed that day (except for some limited Park City and ski-resort-worker buses). They also will offer only limited service on "Black Friday."

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Highways • Construction had narrowed I-15 at the Point of the Mountain to four lanes, lowering the speed limit there to 55 mph. But UDOT expects to open an extra lane in each direction as early as Wednesday morning to accommodate heavy holiday traffic.

After the holiday weekend, traffic there will again be reduced to four lanes during noncommute times, said UDOT spokesman John Gleason. But five lanes will be open during morning and evening commutes.

Crews are widening I-15 to six lanes in each direction between State Road 92 in Lehi and 12300 South in Draper.

Gleason said heavy Thanksgiving highway traffic is expected to begin as early as 10 a.m. Wednesday and build steadily through the day and evening. Return traffic Sunday is expected to be heaviest in the afternoon and evening, especially around 4 p.m.

The U.S. Department of Transportation says the long Thanksgiving weekend is the busiest travel period of the year. Thanksgiving Day itself is the busiest day for automobiles — and nine of every 10 Thanksgiving trips are made by car.

With some wintry weather expected, Gleason offered some hints for safe road travel including:

• Keep emergency supplies in cars with such items as a first-aid kit, flashlight, blankets, water and food.

• Slow down and allow more space between cars amid wet or snowy pavement or reduced visibility.

• Stay back at least 200 feet from snowplows, and never try to pass them.

Road conditions can be checked by calling 511 on any Utah-based telephone; by using UDOT's free smartphone app; or online at udottraffic.utah.gov.

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Air travel • Nationally, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year for airline travel.

"But at Salt Lake City International Airport, we're a bit of an outlier," said airport spokeswoman Bianca Shreeve. "UEA weekend is actually busier, but the Wednesday before Thanksgiving still has big crowds."

She encourages passengers to arrive at the airport two hours before their scheduled flight departure "to give yourself plenty of time to find parking, to shuttle in, and get through security."

To help relieve travel stress, she said, the airport will continue a before-Thanksgiving tradition of offering live entertainment and music for travelers to enjoy at several spots Wednesday.

Shreeve does not expect ongoing airport construction to create problems for departing passengers, but said it may slow things a bit for picking them up by somewhat limiting already tight curb space.

She encourages people picking up passengers to check their flight status, arrive as late as possible, use the airport's park-and-wait lot, and connect with passengers by cellphone when they are ready for pickup.

The Transportation Security Administration offers a few tips to get through airport security more quickly — including wearing slip-off shoes, not wrapping any gifts, double-checking baggage to ensure it does not have prohibited items, and following the 3-1-1 rule that allows gels, creams and liquids in one container of 3.4 ounces each, packed together in one quart-sized bag.

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Mass transit • UTA will not offer any regular bus, TRAX, FrontRunner or Sugar House streetcar service Thanksgiving Day, according to its website. Buses to Park City will operate on a weekend schedule, and limited bus service will be offered for ski-resort workers.

On Black Friday, UTA buses will operate on a Sunday schedule. TRAX and FrontRunner will operate on Saturday schedules. Park City bus service will operate on a normal weekday schedule. More information about schedules on individual routes is available online at rideuta.com.