Labor Day weekend may start slowly for Wasatch Front drivers: highway officials predict delays of up to 40 minutes Friday on Interstate 15 as motorists try to escape town amid ongoing construction projects.
Also the Utah Department of Transportation warns of delays for up to an hour on Thursday because of the BYU-Utah football game that evening — and urges fans to consider leaving earlier in the afternoon to avoid the evening commute.
Because of holiday traffic, UDOT expects delays during the Friday afternoon commute south on I-15 through Salt Lake and Utah counties. Heavier than normal traffic is expected to begin about 1 p.m. and continue through 7 p.m.
In Davis County, delays of up to 20 minutes are forecast Friday for northbound I-15 with heavier than normal traffic expected from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Return trips are also expected to cause delays on Monday.
Delays for return trips could reach 20 minutes on northbound I-15 in Utah County, and up to 10 minutes on westbound U.S. Highway 6 in Spanish Fork Canyon. Congestion on Monday is expected to start building about 2 p.m. and continue through 8 p.m.
Most UDOT projects will suspend construction and open all lanes to help reduce delays over the weekend. But where necessary, some lane restriction and traffic shifts will remain to protect work zones.
Some areas where drivers should expect restrictions include:
• I-15 in Salt Lake County. Crews are adding a new southbound lane from State Road 201 in Salt Lake City to 12300 South in Sandy, and reconstructing ramps at the interchange between I-15 and Interstate 215. Lane splits and shifts are in place at the I-15/I-215 interchange, and drivers should expect congestion there.
• I-15 in Lehi. Lanes are split in several locations and the speed limit is reduced to 60 mph through a construction zone from State Road 92 at Thanksgiving Point to Main Street. Drivers should expect rough or uneven pavement from an ongoing project to widen the freeway in the area.
• I-70 in Sevier County. That freeway is reduced to one lane in each direction between exit 7 and milepost 21. The speed limit is reduced to 60 mph in the work zone. Drivers should plan for delays from slow trucks climbing the hill. Crews are replacing the pavement on 14 bridges in the area.
• I-15 south of St. George. The Arizona Department of Transportation has reduced the freeway to one lane in each direction in the Virgin River Gorge for bridge construction. Drivers headed for southern Nevada or California should plan for delays in that area.
Construction schedules are weather-dependent and subject to change. Updated information about construction and delays is available on the UDOT traffic app for smartphones or online at udottraffic.utah.gov.
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