Heavy holiday traffic expected on I-15 through Virgin River Gorge; alternate route

VIRGIN RIVER GORGE, Arizona – As the Independence Day holiday weekend nears, the Arizona Department of Transportation is reminding motorists traveling on Interstate 15 through the Virgin River Gorge corridor of the Arizona Strip, that construction on a series of bridge projects is underway.

Drivers with travel plans between Mesquite, Nevada, and St. George, Utah are urged to plan ahead for likely delays in both directions through the work zones due to heavier traffic volume through the holiday weekend.

Considerable progress has been made to date on ADOT’s multiple bridge projects along Arizona’s I-15 corridor. The $2.8 million improvement project to upgrade the surfaces of Bridges No. 3 and No. 7 – Arizona mile posts 13 and 22 – is nearly complete. One traffic restriction remains on the northbound side of Bridge No. 3, which is narrowed to one lane through the work zone.

The $27 million rehabilitation of Virgin River Bridge No. 6 – Arizona mile post 16, about 21 miles south of St. George – is expected to be complete in 2016. This significant construction project includes the replacement of the bridge’s superstructure, including girders, deck and railings, as well as widening the roadway through the narrow passage of the Gorge.

The busiest travel times through the Gorge are Fridays through Sundays, with limited alternate routes due to the remote location of the I-15 Virgin River Gorge corridor. ADOT urges drivers to plan ahead, allow extra travel time, slow down and drive carefully through the work zone. Please stay alert for construction equipment and personnel at all times.

Alternate route

Highway 91 from St. George and Littlefield, Ariz. | Image from Mapquest.com
Highway 91 from St. George and Littlefield, Ariz. | Image from Mapquest.com

Individuals seeking to avoid the heavy traffic in the Virgin River Gorge 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 the City of Santa Clara to the north, and into St. George via Sunset Boulevard. See map inset.

Resources

  • To stay up-to-date with the latest highway conditions around the state, visit the ADOT Traveler Information Center online. Travelers outside of Arizona needing to check road conditions may call 1-888-411-ROAD, or while in Arizona dial 511.
  • More information about the I-15 Virgin River Gorge bridge projects is available on the ADOT website.

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