Times and places to avoid in Utah ahead of Memorial Day weekend traffic
May 23, 2024, 11:52 AM | Updated: May 27, 2024, 3:13 pm
Traffic begins to back up in Utah County Friday, May 27, 2011 leading up to Memorial Day Weekend. (Scott G Winterton/Deseret News)
(Scott G Winterton/Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY — Travel experts are predicting a record number of people to drive to their Memorial Day destinations this year. That means Utahns will likely run into some congestion.
The Utah Department of Transportation urged drivers to avoid heading out between about 2 and 7 p.m. Friday, though delays could linger through 8 p.m. for some spots.
ABC News Correspondent Alex Stone joined Jeff Caplan’s Afternoon News to discuss what travel will be like nationally this holiday weekend.
UDOT spokesperson John Gleason told KSL NewsRadio they are predicting the following delays on Friday:
- 25 minutes: SB I-15 in Salt Lake County between 2 and 7 p.m.
- 10 minutes: SB I-15 in the Nephi area of Juab County between 2 and 7 p.m.
- 10 minutes: NB I-15 in Davis County between 2 and 7 p.m.
- 10 minutes: EB Highway 6 in Utah County between 4 and 8 pm.
Trouble spots on Monday
UDOT also predicted up to 20-minute delays on WB Highway 6 on Monday from 12 to 8 p.m.
They are also predicting delays of upwards of 10 minutes on NB I-15 around Nephi on Monday from 2 to 7 p.m.
“Take the extra step to plan around some of those delays,” Gleason said. “If you have to be out there, just understand that everybody else is trying to get to their destination safely as well.”
Construction zones
To help ease congestion, UDOT is putting all construction projects on hold for the holiday weekend, but that doesn’t mean construction zones will be delay-free.
The department said drivers could run into delays in the following construction areas:
- I-15 around 5600 South and Riverdale Road in Weber County.
- SR-12 near Henrieville.
- SR-132 near Nephi.
- SR-24 between I-70 and Hanksville: Drivers using this route to go to or from Lake Powell could see upwards of 15-minute delays.
“Try to be the type of driver that you want others to be towards you,” Gleason said. “Be courteous and understand that there’s a lot of folks out there with the same idea.”
Listen to KSL NewsRadio live on Friday for the latest traffic updates. We will have extra traffic reporters between 12 and 7 p.m. to help you get where you’re going.
