ST. GEORGE — As the largest Ironman event Southern Utah has ever seen approaches, traffic impacts on race day and leading up to it aren’t far behind.

The Ironman World Championship will take place May 7, with athletes and associated supporters expected to start arriving in the weeks leading up to the Saturday race. As it is a larger event than usual, area officials have advised residents to expect heavier traffic while also asking them to be being mindful of the athletes using local roads for training prior to race day.

Road closures taking place May 7 will be similar to those that occur during the annual Ironman 70.3 race through the county, and will run through parts of Hurricane, Washington City, St. George, up state Route 18, the Gunlock area and through Snow Canyon State Park and Ivins.

As this will be a full Ironman and not the usual 70.3 event, however, parts of the course have been modified to accommodate the 138.2-mile biking and running parts of the race. This includes a part of the marathon course running onto Dixie Drive and down toward Mathis Park and through the Green Springs area of St. George.

The greater length of the race also means it will take longer and won’t conclude by the early afternoon. Instead, the race and associated traffic impacts will stretch in the evening as well, particularly in St. George, said Marc Mortensen, assistant city manager of operations in St. George.

“It won’t be impossible to get around,” he said. “You just need to plan ahead.”

In an effort to get the word out on the traffic impacts the race will create, Ironman event planners and the Greater Zion Convention and Tourism Office have sent mailed notices on the impacts to the homes and businesses that will be affected, Mortensen said. The city of St. George also provided additional notice to residents about the race in their utility bills, he said.

Reader boards notifying motorists of pending road closures have also been set up on state Routes 7, 9 and 18.

Another method being used to help people get around town is through signs posted by closed roads that have a QR code on them, Mortensen said. A motorist can pull over to the sign, scan the QR code into their phone and be taken to a page detailing a detour they can take.

An overview of the Ironman World Championship course, road closures and detours, and an interactive map showing their locations, can be found on the Greater Zion website. Part of this information is also shared below, courtesy of the Greater Zion Convention and Tourism Office.

Road closures may also begin as early as May 2 in some areas. Race times may also be subject to changes depending on the progression of the participants.

The Ironman World Championship race course

Swimming course | Cycling course | Running course

Road impacts and Closures

Hurricane

• Sand Hollow Road/Dixie Springs | Road closures and delays beginning at 3:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• North of State State/SR-9 | Road closures and delays beginning at 3:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Businesses along SR-9 in the Legacy Park/Fairgrounds area/5300 West | Road closures and delays beginning at 3:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Ivins

• Snow Canyon State Park | Closures and delays from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
• Center Street | Closures and delays from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Kwavasa Drive | Closures and delays from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

St. George

All-day street closures between May 2-8.

• Tabernacle from Main to 300 West.
• Main Street from 100 South to the Advenire and Zions Bank entrances.

Expect delays on routes around the IRONKids race at 9 a.m., May 3, Parade of Athletes at 5:30 p.m., May 3, and the Land of Endurance Fun Run at 8:30 a.m., May 5, primarily around Town Square.

May 7-8 (Saturday and Sunday) traffic impacts.

• Red Hills Parkway | Road closures and delays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Snow Canyon Parkway | Road closures and delays 7 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Ledges Parkway | Road closures and delays 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Diagonal Street | Road closures and delays from 9 a.m. on May 7 to 3 a.m. on May 8.
• Bluff from Sunset Boulevard to Snow Canyon Parkway | road closures and delays from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• Bluff from W 1250 North to Sunset Boulevard | Road closures and delays from 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
• Dixie Drive | Delays 9 a.m. on May 7 to 2 a.m. on May 8.
• Main Street from Diagonal to 100 South | Closed from 7:00 a.m. on May 7 to 2 a.m. on May 8.
• Tabernacle Street from 400 East to 300 West | Closed all day.
• St. George Boulevard | Closed at the intersection of Main Street from 10 a.m. on May 7 to 2 a.m. on May 8.

Washington City

• Telegraph Street | Closures and delays from 3 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Washington Parkway | Closures and delays from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Main Street | Closures and delays from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Buena Vista Boulevard | Closures and delays from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Green Spring Drive | Closures and delays from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Veyo/Gunlock

• Old Dixie Highway 91/Gunlock Road | Closures and delays 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Southbound one-way traffic only from Veyo to Old Dixie Highway 91.

Alternate routes

State Route 9

State Route 9 is a major highway connecting Interstate-15, and the communities on the west side of Washington County (St. George, Washington, Santa Clara, Ivins) to Hurricane, LaVerkin, Toquerville, Springdale and Zion National Park on the east. Motorists are encouraged to avoid SR9 during the race on May 7 from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Please use the following alternate routes:

Southbound I-15 | Use Exit 27 (Anderson Junction) toward Toquerville, LaVerkin, Hurricane, Springdale and Zion National Park on the east. Avoid Exit 16.

Northbound I-15 | Avoid Exit 16. Instead, continue north to Exit 27 (Anderson Junction) toward Toquerville, La Verkin, Hurricane, Springdale and Zion National Park on the east.

SR-9 from Springdale, Zion National Park | Avoid westbound SR9 in Hurricane. Instead, use SR17 north to access I-15.

SR-9 from Hurricane | Avoid westbound SR9. Instead, use SR9 east to SR17 north to access I-15.

SR-59 from Apple Valley, Hildale, Colorado City | Avoid westbound SR9 in Hurricane. Instead, use SR9 east to SR17 north to access I-15.

State Route 7 (Southern Parkway)

State Route 7 is a major highway connecting St. George to State Route 9 in Hurricane and other communities on the east. SR-7 will be closed in both directions from the SR-9 interchange to Warner Valley Road with no vehicle access from 4:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Please consider the following alternate routes:

Hurricane to St. George Area | SR-7 is closed in both directions from Warner Valley Road to the SR-9 interchange. SR-9 has only one lane of traffic in both directions. Avoid westbound SR-9 in Hurricane. Instead, use SR-17 north to access I-15.

St. George to Hurricane, La Verkin, Springdale, Zion National Park | SR-7 is closed in both directions from Warner Valley Road to the SR-9 interchange. Use I-15 northbound to Exit 27 (Anderson Junction) toward Toquerville, La Verkin, Hurricane, Springdale and Zion National Park on the east.

State Route 18

State Route 18 is a major highway connecting St. George and other communities in southern Washington County to Dammeron Valley, Veyo, Brookside, Central, and Enterprise on the north. Motorists are encouraged to avoid SR18 between St. George and Veyo during the race on May 7 from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

If you must use SR-18, expect a lane-shift configuration and delays. Additional detours will be encountered as vehicles enter or leave St. George. Please consider the following alternate routes:

Southbound | At Veyo, turn onto W. Center Street/Gunlock Drive and follow Gunlock Drive to Santa Clara/St. George. Southbound traffic only.

Southbound (Large Trucks) | From Enterprise, use SR-18 eastbound toward Cedar City/I-15.

Northbound (Large Trucks) | From St. George, use I-15 to Cedar City before heading west on SR-18.

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