UPDATE: Motorists can expect delays on SR-9 as UDOT starts micro-surfacing project

Signs dotting the landscape alerting drivers to work zone areas, location unspecified, April 9, 2018 | File photo courtesy of the Utah Department of Transportation, St. George News

ST. GEORGE  Travelers on state Route 9 between Interstate 15’s Exit 16 and Hurricane will find part of their commute impacted starting next week as a part of a road maintenance project.

The Utah Department of Transportation is beginning a roadway preservation project Monday to help maintain and protect the 11-mile segment of SR-9 from water damage, UDOT spokesman Kevin Kitchen told St. George News.

Originally it was reported that only night work would take place during the project. The contractor hired by UDOT to handle the project has since notified the state road agency it will be conducting daytime work that is expected to last two weeks.

The $3.2 million project will include smoothing out rough spots in the roadway prior to applying a final micro-surface coat. This process will put additional oil back into the pavement to rejuvenate the existing asphalt and help seal cracks.

Due to the properties of the emulsion and the recently cooling temperatures during the night, the contractor has decided to move this part of the preservation project during daytime hours, according the Thursday update from UDOT.

Daytime work will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in order to avoid peak travel times, and traffic will be monitored to prevent major delays.

Motorists should expect lane closures as the project gets underway, though all lanes of travel are slated to be opened during the day after the first two weeks work is concluded and work shifts to nighttime hours.

Nighttime work will involve placing the protective micro-surface coating over the roadway. The coating is designed to repel water and provide adequate friction, according to UDOT.

“It’s a standard preservation routine to keep the roadway maintained,” Kitchen said.

Water getting into pavement can cause it to deteriorate faster than normal and can cause potholes and other structural issues that can lead to the roadway needing to be rebuilt.

“Maintenance is cheaper than rebuilding,” Kitchen said.

During the second phase of work, between 6:30 a.m. and 7 p.m., all lanes on SR-9 between Exit 16 and Hurricane will be open.

Travel will switch over to a single lane in both directions between 7 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. for night work. Motorists are advised to anticipate delays during this time.

Road planners anticipate the project to wrap up near the end of November.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: @MoriKessler

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2018, all rights reserved.

 

Free News Delivery by Email

Would you like to have the day's news stories delivered right to your inbox every evening? Enter your email below to start!

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.