Emigration Canyon will close to cyclists and skaters beginning July 6 as part of an ongoing repaving project. (Carter Williams, KSL)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — Emigration Canyon — a popular spot for biking and other recreational activities — will be closed to cyclists and skaters beginning Monday. The road will also be closed to all through-traffic during the work hours, permitting only local traffic.
This is part of an ongoing repaving project for the canyon’s road. The project started June 15 and is estimated to take a total of 90 days to complete.
Beginning Monday, crews will strip the asphalt on the roads to make way for the repaving process — closing off the roads to recreational cyclists citing safety concerns. Crews will remove the road in one-mile segments as they work their way up the canyon, so roads will be in a progressively-milled state until paving begins.
“With one lane inaccessible, the road is not wide enough to safely accommodate both motor vehicles and bicycles/skaters,” according to Emigration Canyon Metro Township’s website. “Safety is the number one priority of our team, and the decision was made to close the canyon to recreational cyclists and skaters in order to prevent accidents.”
Runners and walkers can still make their way up the canyon, but crews are urging extra caution for those who do.
It’s unknown how long the repaving process of the project will last, but officials say depending on the repaving process parts of the roads may be open to cyclists sooner than expected.
For those driving up the canyon, officials say to expect one-way flagging with moderate delays. Motorists are encouraged to find alternate routes to reduce congestion.
“While we understand this is a popular time for recreational use of the canyon, unfortunately it is also the time when this type of project needs to be done,” officials wrote. “Contractors must pay very close attention to asphalt, ambient, and ground temperatures during paving.”