UDOT: Know Where, Know Why

· UDOT has more than 200 road construction projects planned this summer throughout the state, so chances are good you’ll be driving through a construction zone if you’re traveling on Utah highways for the Fourth of July weekend.

· The good news for drivers is we suspend all new activities for the holiday weekend. Any existing areas of narrowed lanes and reduced speeds will still be in effect and could add extra travel time.

· There are a few area hotspots to be aware of:

All lanes are open on I-15 CORE for the July Fourth weekend. There still could be one- to two-hour delays at peak travel times with narrowed and shifting lanes through the 24 miles from Lehi to Spanish Fork.

· TravelWise and change how, when and where they travel to avoid leaving during heavy traffic times, especially on the Friday before or Monday after.

· You can reduce delays by avoiding the freeway during the heaviest travel times, which include Thursday between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., Friday after (12 p.m.) noon, and Monday after 2 p.m.

· For drivers planning travel on I-84 through Morgan County, the freeway has been reduced to one lane in both directions near Taggart. Lane widths are reduced too, so if you’re bringing a boat or RV up to East Canyon this way, you’ll need to take an alternate route. You may see some congestion and lower speeds through this area.

· And if you’re heading to Strawberry Reservoir, look for lane restrictions on US-40 from Daniels Summit to Soldier Creek. Traffic is restricted to one lane in each direction and lanes have been narrowed to 10 feet. Travelers are asked to slow down to 45 miles per hour through this area. In both locations, be sure to slow down and use caution if you’re in an RV or towing a boat.

· We also have some good news: in spite of all the snow, some mountain highways are scheduled to open in time for the holiday weekend. These include the Monte Cristo Highway between Ant Flat and Woodruff, and the Alpine Loop in Utah County.

· We don’t want this to discourage travel – we actually encourage you to travel in-state this year and have partnered with the Utah Office of Tourism to launch the “Stay an Extra Day” campaign.

· Lodging properties and attractions across the state are offering deals for travelers who leave a day earlier or stay a day later on weekend and holiday trips this summer.

· Incentives offered by lodging and travel attractions are for the Thursday before or Tuesday after a holiday weekend and the Thursday and Monday of a regular summer weekend.

· You can find these offers on the Stay an Extra Day website at the UDOT homepage where you can click on Stay an Extra Day.

· We’re getting new offers and updating the site regularly, so check back often to see what discounts you can take advantage of when planning your summer vacation.

· An essential planning tool is UDOT’s Know Where Know Why interactive map (udot.utah.gov – click on “know where, know why”).

· On the website you can view an interactive map that tells you where work is occurring anywhere in the state and what delays you can expect, as well as real-time traffic cameras and incident reports.

· Remember that the best way to reduce delays and get around with all of these projects is to stay informed. You can sign up for construction updates via email or text message; follow UDOT on Facebook and Twitter; check out real-time traffic cameras with Commuterlink; and, for all of our projects statewide, visit the UDOT website at udot.utah.gov.