The Utah Department of Transportation has launched several major infrastructure projects across the state, including a large-scale interchange reconstruction at Thistle Junction and multi-year improvements to Interstate 80 in Parleys Canyon.
Construction began April 27 on the US-6 and US-89 safety project at Thistle Junction. According to UDOT, the project will replace the existing T-intersection with a grade-separated interchange, routing US-89 through a new underpass beneath US-6. The department expects a fully functioning interchange to be open by mid-November 2026, with additional work scheduled for spring 2027.
In Parleys Canyon, UDOT has initiated a major construction project on Interstate 80 that includes nightly lane closures between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. As KSLTV reported, the multi-year effort aims to repave 22 miles of roadway, improve eight bridges, upgrade nearly 50 miles of culverts, and install 11 miles of fiber optic cable. UDOT Public Relations Director John Gleason advised drivers to consider alternative routes, such as Provo Canyon, to avoid overnight delays.
Other active or planned roadway projects include a full overnight shutdown of I-15 in Lehi near 2100 North. As KSLTV first reported, the closure was necessary to install taller power lines provided by Rocky Mountain Power, which will allow crews to begin constructing new freeway ramps that merge onto I-15. UDOT officials noted that while a detour onto Thanksgiving Way was required, the impact on drivers should be minimal.
UDOT's 2026 project list for northeastern Utah includes several regional improvements. According to UDOT, planned work involves installing 139 miles of fiber optic cable along Highway 40 from Heber City to the Colorado border, replacing bridges in Hanna, Tabiona, and Altonah, and adding passing lanes through Fruitland. Other projects include stabilizing a hillside on SR 87 near Altamont and reconstructing roadways in Fort Duchesne.
Traffic concerns related to UDOT data were also cited during local development discussions in Salt Lake City. The Daily Utah Chronicle reported that community members expressed concern over a failed hotel proposal near Sugar House Park, noting that UDOT data shows roughly 66,000 vehicles pass through the area daily and raising fears regarding unsafe U-turns at the intersection of 2100 South and 1300 East.
