UPDATE: At 12:43 p.m., Arizona Department of Public Safety is reporting an accident has occurred on northbound I-15 in Arizona just outside of the entrance to the Gorge. Travelers are asked to watch for emergency vehicles at the scene of the accident.
ST. GEORGE – Travelers returning from the long Presidents Day weekend are already causing delays through the construction zone on Interstate 15 in the Virgin River Gorge.
As of 11:30 a.m. Monday, northbound travel was backed up more than two miles and getting worse.
“Motorists can plan on (delays) the entire afternoon and evening,” Arizona Department of Public Safety Highway Patrol Sgt. John Bottoms said. “Please plan an extra hour to get through the Gorge.”
Motorists are advised to always stay a safe distance from the vehicle in front of them when driving. In a previous interview, Bottoms warned drivers that following too closely creates an unnecessary safety risk which often results in drivers skidding off into the median when the car in front of them stops or slows.
Alternate route
Those seeking to avoid the traffic backup in the Virgin River Gorge may take Highway 91 as an alternate route.
The highway bypasses the gorge entirely, intersecting with I-15 at Exit 8 in Littlefield, Arizona, to the south and connecting to St. George at the north via Santa Clara and Sunset Boulevard. See map included in this article.
Resources
- For the latest highway conditions in Arizona, visit the ADOT Traveler Information Center at az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter or call 511. Outside of Arizona, dial 888-411-ROAD (7623).
- Virgin River Bridge Project information
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