ARIZONA STRIP – Starting Monday, travel between St. George and Las Vegas will slow significantly as construction on Arizona’s 29-mile stretch of Interstate-15 will reduce it to one lane in each direction in several spots.
The Arizona Department of Transportation will begin a $2.8 million project to upgrade the southbound bridge surfaces, repair girders and perform other work on Virgin River Bridge No. 2 at milepost 13, Bridge No. 3 at milepost 15, and Bridge No. 7 at milepost 22. Work is expected to be completed by summer 2014.
While the bridges are still considered safe for travel, they require extensive refurbishment to continue serving the substantial volume of traffic along the I-15 corridor as it is one of the most heavily traveled commercial and economic corridors linking southern California with the Rocky Mountain region, despite its remote location in Arizona.
Construction will occur primarily during weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
I-15 will be narrowed to one lane in each direction at each of the bridge projects, so delays are expected. The majority of work will occur in southbound lands, but require two-way traffic in the northbound lanes.
Alternate route and tips for drivers
Individuals seeking to avoid the repaving work in the Virgin River Gorge may take Highway 91 as an alternate route. The highway bypasses the gorge entirely. Southbound travelers will reconnect with I-15 at Littlefield, Ariz., while northbound travelers will follow the route into Santa Clara and then St. George via Sunset Boulevard. See map included in this article.
With limited alternate routes due to the remote location of the I-15 Virgin River Gorge corridor, ADOT urges drivers traveling between Mesquite, Nevada, and St. George, Utah, to plan ahead, allow extra travel time, slow down and drive carefully through the work zone. I-15 will be narrowed to one lane in each direction at each of the bridge projects, and delays are expected.
Resources
- View a project flyer with a map of the area.
- To stay up-to-date with the latest highway conditions around the state, visit the ADOT Traveler Information Center online. Travelers outside of Arizona needing to check road conditions may call 1-888-411-ROAD, or while in Arizona dial 511.
- More information about the I-15 Virgin River Gorge bridge projects is available on the ADOT website.
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