The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has announced a temporary shutdown of Interstate 215 near Parleys Canyon due to much-needed bridge repairs. In a statement obtained by UDOT, the department specified that starting today, Oct. 16, through to Saturday, Oct. 26, nightly closures will occur as crews work diligently to mend three beams on the eastbound I-80 bridge that arches over I-215. These beams likely took a beating from an oversized truck earlier this year, per UDOT officials' suspicions.
The closures will roll out as early as 9 p.m. each evening and lift by the grace of the morning's first light at 6 a.m. on weekdays. While I-215 takes a rest, the I-80 bridge into Parleys Canyon remains awake and open. Travelers hitting the road using State Route 186, better think twice about taking the Reno/Cheyenne exit. That one's a trap, as it funnels directly into the closure, funneling drivers instead toward a Mount Aire Canyon Road detour that'll no doubt add time to your trek.
For the duration of this infrastructure siesta, I-215 voyagers will need to pivot to Foothill Drive, a detour UDOT is pushing as the alternative route. And for those plotting weekend wanderings through Northern Utah, an additional heads-up: southbound I-15 is also throwing lane closures into the mix. According to a UDOT announcement, expect a trim to two lanes on Friday, Oct. 17, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. the following morning, as crews tackle pipes and drainage duties. Come Saturday, Oct. 18, that construction tightens to a single lane up until the wee hours of 5 a.m. Sunday to facilitate the replacement of several concrete panels.
Not all exits are off the table, though. If you're heading south on I-15 and need to peel off at 5600 South (Exit 338), rest easy, that path stays clear. All of these changes hinge on the mood swings of the weather, so they're not set in stone. UDOT suggests keeping tabs on the latest roadwork reports and recommendations by peering into udottraffic.utah.gov or downloading the UDOT Traffic app.
