The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) is set to initiate a series of roadway closures in Provo Canyon to facilitate a highway widening project, and officials are advising drivers to adjust their travel plans accordingly. The closures on U.S. 189 are planned to enable controlled blasting and excavation work needed to construct additional lanes for improved traffic flow and safety.
According to KSL.com, the first road closure will occur on Thursday morning between the intersection of State Route 113 in Charleston and Main Canyon Road in Wallsburg. This closure will start at 10 a.m. and is expected to last roughly an hour. UDOT seeks to clear a path for new northbound lanes as part of the expansive project. On Saturday, UDOT will again briefly close the canyon, starting with lane closures at 9:30 p.m., leading into a full closure throughout the night until 4 a.m. on Sunday. One-way alternating traffic is then slated to continue until 9 a.m.
Noted by KUTV, the effort to forge space for these new lanes on U.S. 189 marks a substantial milestone towards enhancing access and safety around the popular Deer Creek Reservoir. UDOT recommends that drivers either effectively change their trip timing or seek alternate routes during the evening of Dec. 20 and the morning of Dec. 21 to avoid delays.
"Because of the overnight closures and the extended period of one-way alternating traffic, UDOT recommends drivers change the timing of their trip or use alternate routes on the evening of Dec. 20 and the morning of Dec. 21," UDOT stated, as per KUTV. Drivers in Utah's fastest-growing counties, particularly those frequently transiting between Utah and Wasatch counties, will need to anticipate and plan for the expected inconveniences. Once the northbound lane construction is complete, crews will transition to expand the southbound lanes, as reported by KPCW.
