OGDEN — Two-way traffic through Ogden Canyon reopened on Jan. 21 as work winds down on nearly two and a half years of bridge construction projects along State Route 39. While bridge work from Ogden up to Pineview Reservoir is complete, resurfacing and painting along State Route 39 will have to wait for warmer weather.

The Utah Department of Transportation has not set a date for the road surface work still needed. UDOT Senior Communication Manager Mitch Shaw said the ideal time for this type of work is April through September when temperatures are well above freezing, allowing road surface mixtures to cure and set properly.

According to Shaw, UDOT spent $6 million on the project, up from an initial estimate of $4.7 million in 2018 when UDOT first announced the Ogden Canyon construction.

An inspection of a home approximately 30 feet from the mid-canyon bridge — the only bridge to be completely replaced — revealed the possibility of significant damage to the home’s foundation during construction activities.

Shaw said UDOT ended up purchasing the property, relocating the homeowner and demolishing the home. The purchase price of the property and a cost increase in supplies account for the extra $1.3 million.

UDOT ordered the inspection of the home because of its close proximity to the construction site and the age of the home. “It’s part of a checklist” whenever projects have the potential to cause damage, Shaw said.

Construction on the mid-canyon bridge, located near the Gray Cliff Lodge restaurant, started in March 2021. It was originally scheduled to be completed last fall; however, supply chain shortages caused by COVID-19 coupled with the process of demolishing the nearby home delayed the work.

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