Here’s what Southern Utahns should expect on I-15 this Labor Day weekend

ST. GEORGE — As summer winds to a close, many Southern Utah residents will make one last dash for a summer vacation this Labor Day Weekend. For those heading out on Interstate 15, here’s a traffic forecast.

I-15 near Mesquite

While southbound lanes near mile marker 112 and the Bunkerville Exit were originally scheduled to open to two lanes by this weekend, there has been some delay, said Justin Hopkins, who serves as the public information officer for the Nevada Department of Transportation.

“Unfortunately, the southbound I-15 work proved a little more challenging than expected,” he added. “That restriction should be cleared by this time next week.”

Both southbound and northbound lanes will be limited to one lane due to hard barriers and no second lane being driveable. The hard barriers in northbound lanes are expected to be removed by the third week of September.

Southern Nevada will pause construction from Friday to Tuesday.

Virgin River Bridge Project

Nothing reportedly has changed pertaining to the construction of this project. The bridge is still being rebuilt, and both northbound and southbound lanes still are down to one lane.

North of St. George

Cable barrier installation on I-15 in Juab County near Nephi will be paused during the holiday weekend, but potential one-lane closures reportedly will result in 15- to 30-minute delays.

Construction on the I-15 express lanes in northern Utah continued this week but is scheduled to be completed with all lanes open during the holiday weekend.

California-Nevada border

On Thursday, the California Department of Transportation District 8, which covers San Bernardino and Riverside counties, announced potential heavy traffic-laden areas at the Nevada and California border due to roadwork this weekend.

This roadwork will result in I-15 being reduced down to one lane near the southern California border.

The construction zone is on Nipton Road, nearby Primm, and Searchlight, Nevada, within Mountain Pass, California. The official markings for the work zone are at I-15 southbound at mile marker 174.

The roadwork being done is to repair a bridge and roadways due to erosion from recent monsoonal storms. Crews will be working overnight during the weekend to repair Wheaton Wash by Mountain Pass, California. Authorities said they expect major delays within the area for the next two weeks.

On Twitter, the department in California recommended using alternate routes US-95 and Interstate 40 to avoid construction.

This 2018 file photo shows Nipton Road by the Nevada and California border washed out, resulting in $3 million in road repair, Primm, Nev., Aug. 15, 2018 | Photo courtesy of California Dept. of Transportation District 8, St. George News

This is not the first time Nipton Road has been closed down due to storms and flooding. The road was closed for emergency repairs after flooding occurred Aug. 15, 2018. The result was $3 million in road repairs and a month of closure. Six months before this incident, the road had been repaired due to erosion at the end of Jan. 2018.

Construction in the area will be paused from 6 a.m. Friday until 6 p.m. Tuesday to help reduce traffic congestion during the holiday weekend, officials said.

Recommendations for travel

Officials with the UDOT and the Utah Department of Public Safety shared a message via live stream on Facebook, filmed by KSL 5 TV, for the holiday weekend travel. The message was part of a press conference and reminds travelers to be safe, as this weekend marks the end of the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer, a time between Memorial Day and Labor Day when fatalities due to automobile collisions nearly double.

“It really hasn’t been a great year so far,” an official said during the press conference.

Each state’s department of transportation recommended the following when traveling during the holiday weekend.

  • Always plan extra time for your travels and plan accordingly.
  • Make sure you have plenty of water (and food if needed).
  • Make sure properly dressed for the weather for the area traveling.
  • Check all car tires, oil, and fluid levels, and make any needed repairs.
  • Be patient and avoid frustrations.
  • Don’t drive drowsy.
  • Obey all signs and traffic speed limits.
  • Use proper zipper merging and no driving on shoulders.

For up-to-date traffic reports, check with each department of transportation’s websites provided in the links above.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2022, all rights reserved.

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