The east entrance to Zion National Park, which saw more than 2.7 million visitors in 2009, will be closed Mondays through Thursdays for most of the day beginning June 7.

Park officials had hoped to keep the road open, with significant delays, during construction on the 9.5 mile section of road from Zion Canyon Scenic Drive to the eastern portal of the Mount Carmel Tunnel.

"The original hope was to let traffic use the road during construction with delays of up to three hours, but it has now been decided that the plan was not appropriate," said park spokesman Erik De Groat.

Construction is scheduled to begin June 1, and there will be short delays but no closures through June 4.

On June 7, the road will be closed to all vehicles Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Between 6 p.m. and 7:30 a.m., no stopping will be allowed on the road, and there may be short delays if night work is occurring.

The road will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through July 31, when those hours will be shortened due to decreased daylight. But bicycles and pedestrians will be prohibited in the construction zone at all times.

The project is scheduled to be finished by Oct. 28.

The $6 million makeover is the first major restoration of the road since it opened in 1930, and involves removing old asphalt and improving drainage to prevent sloughing of the steep hillsides.

"All parties involved in the project worked together to come up with the best work schedule possible given the size and complexity of the project," said De Groat. "The concerns of local residents, businesses, and travelers, as well as safety and the impact on park operations were considered from the original concept."

Visitors traveling to the park on SR 9 from Interstate 15 will not be in the construction area and will be able to access the park shuttle, campgrounds, Zion Lodge and businesses in Springdale.

For updated information, call 435-772-3256 (press 1, then 4) or visit the park website at www.nps.gov/zion.