US 89 experiencing major closure in Weber-Davis County area again this weekend
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- Construction for the Davis Aqueduct Reach 1 Parallel Pipeline Project, pictured Tuesday, April 30, 2024, has resulted in road closures along U.S. 89 in the Weber-Davis County area.
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- Construction for the Davis Aqueduct Reach 1 Parallel Pipeline Project, pictured Tuesday, April 30, 2024, has resulted in road closures along U.S. 89 in the Weber-Davis County area.
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- Construction for the Davis Aqueduct Reach 1 Parallel Pipeline Project, pictured Tuesday, April 30, 2024, has resulted in road closures along U.S. 89 in the Weber-Davis County area.
The Utah Department of Transportation has advised motorists to expect significant traffic delays for a second consecutive weekend amid the latest planned closure on U.S. Highway 89.
Closures are being made to accommodate the Weber Basin Water Conservancy District's installation of a new pipeline, part of the Davis Aqueduct Reach 1 Parallel Pipeline Project.
After the southbound lanes of the highway were closed last Friday through early Monday at South Weber Drive, a hard closure of the northbound section at state Route 193 will begin at 8 p.m. Friday. The closure will remain in effect until 1 p.m. Monday.
However, Mitch Shaw, Region 1 senior communications manager at UDOT, says the expectation is for delays to be less burdensome this time around.
"We definitely expect to have another significant impact, but we don't think it will be as bad as what happened last weekend," Shaw told the Standard-Examiner.
"Generally speaking, the southbound direction -- we just expect that to be worse. ... The closure is not going to go into effect until 8 p.m. on Friday night, so the evening commute is going to be avoided."
While the closure will extend into the Monday morning commute and beyond, which wasn't the case last weekend, Shaw noted that UDOT is "comfortable" with the situation due to the affected direction of travel.
Nevertheless, he's advising people to avoid the area or stay off the roads altogether this weekend, if possible, particularly on Saturday.
Motorists are advised to detour to northbound Interstate 15. Access for South Weber residents and to area businesses will be available via eastbound I-84 from Riverdale.
Added Shaw of the closures: "We don't like to close roads, and people should have freedom to drive. But this is one of those once-in-a-generation projects. ... It's kind of a necessary project. Weber Basin supplies water to thousands and thousands of people on the Wasatch Front."