Utah officials warn delays up to 90 minutes

Utah transportation officials are warning Memorial Day travelers to expect major backups on some of the state’s busiest holiday routes. The Utah Department of Transportation said in a May 20 advisory that delays could reach 90 minutes during peak periods, with US-6 in Spanish Fork Canyon facing the longest waits. KSL reported on May 22 that state officials do not expect higher gas prices to keep people off the roads this weekend. AAA said 45 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles between Thursday, May 21, and Monday, May 25, a record for the holiday period. ### Which Utah road is expected to see the longest delay? US-6 in Spanish Fork Canyon is the corridor UDOT singled out for the most severe congestion. The agency said delays there could reach up to 90 minutes during peak travel periods over the weekend. The May 20 UDOT advisory said drivers on westbound US-6 should expect the heaviest slowdowns on Monday, May 25, between 10:30 a.m. and 10 p.m., with peak delays later in the day. (connect.udot.utah.gov) UDOT tied part of the delay risk to a one-lane configuration connected to an interchange project on the route. ### Why are officials saying gas prices probably will not reduce traffic? AAA said on May 11 that 39.1 million people are expected to drive over Memorial Day weekend, helping set a new holiday travel record. Stacey Barber, vice president of AAA Travel, said in the group’s release that “despite higher fuel prices,” travelers are still prioritizing holiday trips. (connect.udot.utah.gov) KSL reported that Utah and national transportation officials were not expecting higher gas prices to dissuade travel. The station said more than 85% of Memorial Day travelers are expected to drive, citing AAA projections. ### Are I-15 and other Utah routes part of the warning too? KSL reported that local forecasts also pointed to heavy congestion on I-15 and US-89 during the holiday period. (newsroom.aaa.com) The station said some of those peak delays could also approach 90 minutes, depending on the corridor and time of day. UDOT said the holiday warning applies across Utah, not only on US-6. (ksl.com) The agency urged drivers to plan ahead for heavy traffic statewide and said updated forecasts would be issued around major holiday periods. ### What are state officials telling drivers to do before heading out? UDOT told drivers to travel during off-peak hours where possible and to consider alternate routes, including I-70 and I-15, during holiday weekends. (ksl.com) The agency also directed travelers to check its traffic tools for live maps, cameras, road conditions and incident reports before leaving. (connect.udot.utah.gov) KSL said officials were urging Utahns to prepare for heavier congestion across key corridors over the long weekend. The station’s report pointed readers to forecast-based travel planning rather than assuming normal weekend conditions. ### Where should travelers look for updates through the weekend? UDOT Traffic is publishing current road conditions, traffic events, cameras and route information on its statewide site. (connect.udot.utah.gov) The agency’s advisory remains the main state guidance for Memorial Day travel, and KSL is also carrying Utah traffic updates on its local traffic page. Memorial Day falls on Monday, May 25, and UDOT said the return trip later that day is one of the main periods to watch, especially on westbound US-6. (ksl.com) Travelers can monitor conditions before departure through the state traffic map and related UDOT updates. (connect.udot.utah.gov) (udottraffic.utah.gov)