This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2014, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Thanksgiving travelers should have mostly clear driving on Utah roads this week — thanks to completion of two big construction projects just in time for the holiday.
But transportation officials are urging caution over what can sometimes be one of the deadlier holiday weekends for travel. And Black Friday shoppers should not count on mass transit to get them to early deals, as the Utah Transit Authority is offering only limited service that day and is mostly closed on Thanksgiving.
Two road projects that could have complicated travel have just ended: rebuilding Interstate 80 from Park City to Wanship and reconstructing State Road 201 in Salt Lake County between 5600 West and 9000 West.
Utah Department of Transportation spokesman John Gleason said all lanes are now open in those areas, with new concrete pavement that should offer a smoother ride.
He said only two other road projects may complicate Thanksgiving travel.
Interstate 15 in Davis County has unusual lane splits in both directions in Bountiful for construction that is adding new express lanes and is rebuilding some intersections. Motorists wishing to use local exits there should stay in right lanes. Left lanes do not allow access to the exits, due to middle-of-lanes construction.
US 40 east of Park City also is reduced to one lane in each direction. All traffic has been shifted to the east side of the highway for construction of a wildlife crossing that is expected to be completed in mid-December.
Gleason noted that 15 people have died on Utah highways over the past five Thanksgiving holiday weekends, and urged caution and common sense.
"During the holidays, we see more people traveling on Utah's roads, often in a hurry. Please take time to make sure you and your loved ones are buckled. Sometimes your seat belt is the only chance you have at surviving a crash," he said.
He urges people to get plenty of rest before driving, take adequate breaks and share driving with others to avoid drowsy driving. Also, he said drunken driving often becomes a bigger problem this time of year — and urges use of a nondrinking designated driver.
UTA bus and train service generally is not available on Thanksgiving, except for limited ski bus service to Park City and Big and Little Cottonwood canyons, said UTA spokesman Chuck Gates.
"UTA has never had a full spectrum of service on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day, as ridership has been very low on those days," Gates said. He notes UTA plans to restore service on Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day next year, after they had been cut during the recession.
On Black Friday, UTA is offering limited service.
It will offer light "Saturday schedule" service on TRAX and FrontRunner, and even lighter Sunday schedules for buses. It will offer regular schedules for ski service, Gates said.