05/18/2010
Zion Road Construction Schedule
Superintendent Jock Whitworth has announced that reconstruction of the Zion-Mt Carmel Highway will begin June 1, 2010 and end October 28, 2010. The road construction will occur from the junction of the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive to the East Entrance, a distance of 9.5 miles, including The Switchbacks. Delays and closures will occur Monday through Thursday, with Friday through Sunday open for regular traffic. The construction will not impact Zion Canyon, the most visited area of the park.
Bicycles and pedestrians will be prohibited in the construction zone. Bicyclists and pedestrians wishing to cross the park Monday through Thursday will need to arrange for a private vehicle to take them
between the Canyon Junction and the park's East Entrance.
Zion National Park will remain open for the duration of the project. People traveling to Zion National Park on State Route 9 from Interstate 15 will be able to enjoy Zion Canyon's recreational opportunities, access the park shuttle, campgrounds, and Zion Lodge, and frequent the businesses in Springdale without being in the construction area. Those traveling between US Highway 89 and Zion Canyon will be affected by the following
construction schedule.
CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE:
June 1-June 4
Short delays, no closures.
June 7-October 28
Monday through Thursday:
8:00am-6:00pm the road will be closed to all vehicles.
6:00pm-7:30am the road will be open for transit only. The last car allowed through will be at 7:30am. There may be short delays if night work is occurring.
Tunnel hours: 6:30am-7:30am and 6pm to 8:30pm through July 31. After July 31 the hours will shorten due to lack of daylight. All vehicles 7'10" wide or wider and 11'2" tall or taller are required to have an escort and can only travel during these times. This includes most dual wheeled pickup trucks, recreational vehicles and tour busses.
No vehicles will be able to stop or park at any time between the East Entrance and the junction of the Zion Canyon Scenic Drive, Monday through Thursday. Remember that Utah is in the Mountain Time Zone and is one hour ahead of Nevada and Arizona. All vehicles must be through the barricades by 7:30am to drive across the park.
Friday through Sunday:
The road will be open as normal.
Tunnel hours: 6:30am-8:30pm through July 31. After July 31 the hours will shorten due to lack of daylight.
The road will be graded gravel in the work sections and the surface may be uneven at times. Please use caution and low speeds in these areas.
Alternate routes of travel between Zion Canyon and U.S Highway 89 are Utah State Route 59 from Hurricane, Utah to Arizona State Route 389 (better for large vehicles) or Utah State Route 14 from Cedar City, Utah to Long Valley Junction (high elevation/steep grades). During the construction period, travelers may want to consider using one of these roads between Zion Canyon and Bryce Canyon or Grand Canyon National Parks Monday through Thursday.
People visiting Zion Canyon via the park's South Entrance at Springdale, Utah, who are camping, accessing the shuttle system, staying at the Zion Lodge or in the town of Springdale will not be in the construction zone. Visitors in Zion Canyon are encouraged to use the town shuttle to avoid possible delays entering the park. Look for blue Park and Ride signs in Springdale and ride the free shuttle to the park entrance.
For updated information, Call 435-772-3256 (press 1, then 4) or visit the park website at
www.nps.gov/zion.
