MOHAVE COUNTY, Ariz. — Motorists traveling on Interstate 15 through the Virgin River Gorge Tuesday should expect delays. The final phase of the paving project is underway, and traffic is slow through the area before the Gorge.
“There is a rather long backup northbound,” Arizona Department of Public Safety Sgt. John Bottoms said. “The paving company who had been doing all their work at night had to switch to day shifts to obtain the proper temperatures for the final phase of the paving project.”
Traffic is moving, Bottoms said, but it is backed up from Arizona mileposts 6 to 12 and then again through the Gorge at the bridge construction project at bridge No. 6.
Motorists traveling through the area are advised to plan ahead, allow for traffic and construction delays, and drive with extra caution.
Motorists are always urged to stay a safe distance from the vehicle in front of them when driving, Bottoms said.
Following too closely, particularly in a construction zone, creates an unnecessary safety risk that often results in drivers skidding off into the median when the car in front of them stops or slows, he said.
Alternate route and tips for drivers
Those seeking to avoid the backup may take Highway 91 as an alternate route. The highway bypasses the Gorge entirely, intersecting with I-15 at Littlefield, Arizona, to the south and connecting to St. George at the north via Santa Clara and Sunset Boulevard. See map included in this article.
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