AZ: I-15 bridge work in Virgin River Gorge

[roadfro]

Long waits are here for travelers using I-15 through Virgin River Canyon gorge
Richard Velotta, Las Vegas Review Journal, Sunday 4/06/2014

The Arizona Department of Transportation has begun work on a major overhaul of I-15 through the Virgin River Canyon gorge about 85 miles northeast of Las Vegas.

It's the largest project in more than 40 years on a real geographic oddity – a 29-mile stretch of interstate highway with just three exits, none of which serve any major commerce.

Much of the construction challenge has been in building and maintaining seven bridges over the Virgin River.

The refurbishment of the bridges and the highway will cost an estimated $250 million, and the state of Arizona has opted to work on it in chunks. ADOT began setting up traffic controls in late March on a $27 million portion of the project on Virgin River Bridge No. 6. Contracts already are underway on bridges 2, 3 and 7.

[thenetwork]

Long waits are here for travelers using I-15 through Virgin River Canyon gorge
Richard Velotta, Las Vegas Review Journal, Sunday 4/06/2014

The Arizona Department of Transportation has begun work on a major overhaul of I-15 through the Virgin River Canyon gorge about 85 miles northeast of Las Vegas.

It's the largest project in more than 40 years on a real geographic oddity – a 29-mile stretch of interstate highway with just three exits, none of which serve any major commerce.

Much of the construction challenge has been in building and maintaining seven bridges over the Virgin River.

The refurbishment of the bridges and the highway will cost an estimated $250 million, and the state of Arizona has opted to work on it in chunks. ADOT began setting up traffic controls in late March on a $27 million portion of the project on Virgin River Bridge No. 6. Contracts already are underway on bridges 2, 3 and 7.

Has anybody traveled the old road (Old US 89) between Mesquite and St. George as of late?  How much extra time &/or mileage is involved if one is to avoid the Gorge area altogether? 

Not to say that I've never had seen much traffic thru the Gorge the few times I have traveled it, but it might entice me to travel the old way next time...Especially if I'm heading north & uphill.

[Rover_0]

Long waits are here for travelers using I-15 through Virgin River Canyon gorge
Richard Velotta, Las Vegas Review Journal, Sunday 4/06/2014

The Arizona Department of Transportation has begun work on a major overhaul of I-15 through the Virgin River Canyon gorge about 85 miles northeast of Las Vegas.

It's the largest project in more than 40 years on a real geographic oddity – a 29-mile stretch of interstate highway with just three exits, none of which serve any major commerce.

Much of the construction challenge has been in building and maintaining seven bridges over the Virgin River.

The refurbishment of the bridges and the highway will cost an estimated $250 million, and the state of Arizona has opted to work on it in chunks. ADOT began setting up traffic controls in late March on a $27 million portion of the project on Virgin River Bridge No. 6. Contracts already are underway on bridges 2, 3 and 7.

Has anybody traveled the old road (Old US 89) between Mesquite and St. George as of late?  How much extra time &/or mileage is involved if one is to avoid the Gorge area altogether? 

Not to say that I've never had seen much traffic thru the Gorge the few times I have traveled it, but it might entice me to travel the old way next time...Especially if I'm heading north & uphill.

You mean Old US 91, right? Anyways, I'm quite surprised that there has been no movement to direct at least some traffic onto Old 91.

Also, I drove through the Gorge and aside from slowing down to 35 MPH it wasn't that bad. Granted, going south the delays weren't bad, although I was near the front. Going north was even less trouble.

[thenetwork]

Yeah, I meant Old 91.   

[agentsteel53]

the problem with old 91 is that it dumps you into the suburban dregs of St. George.  figure half an hour for the first 30 miles, then another half an hour for the next 5.

directing all the truck through traffic into generic lebensraum wasteland would be an exercise in hilarity, though...

[Rover_0]

the problem with old 91 is that it dumps you into the suburban dregs of St. George.  figure half an hour for the first 30 miles, then another half an hour for the next 5.

directing all the truck through traffic into generic lebensraum wasteland would be an exercise in hilarity, though...

True on that. If it's a big enough problem, you could use UT-56/NV-319/US-93, which I believe they did for (I think) an earlier project.

[Kniwt]

Bumping to note that the barricades on the rebuilt Bridge #6 are being removed today and tomorrow ... and, in fact, traffic is quite a mess right now due to traffic breaks, etc. Also, the paving work from MP0-13 is just about done, too.
http://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2016/05/12/jla-traffic-advisory-bridge-construction-to-delay-traffic-alternate-route-suggested

Traffic will be disrupted Thursday and Friday in the Gorge by construction work wrapping up on Bridge No. 6; motorists are advised to take an alternate route.

Construction crews will be removing the temporary concrete barriers from the Bridge No. 6 construction zone, Arizona Department of Public Safety Sgt. John Bottoms said.

... "These are the final days of construction and the bridge will be open soon,"  Bottoms said, "and there will be no more backups or delays."

[Max Rockatansky]

Bumping to note that the barricades on the rebuilt Bridge #6 are being removed today and tomorrow ... and, in fact, traffic is quite a mess right now due to traffic breaks, etc. Also, the paving work from MP0-13 is just about done, too.
http://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2016/05/12/jla-traffic-advisory-bridge-construction-to-delay-traffic-alternate-route-suggested

Traffic will be disrupted Thursday and Friday in the Gorge by construction work wrapping up on Bridge No. 6; motorists are advised to take an alternate route.

Construction crews will be removing the temporary concrete barriers from the Bridge No. 6 construction zone, Arizona Department of Public Safety Sgt. John Bottoms said.

... "These are the final days of construction and the bridge will be open soon,"  Bottoms said, "and there will be no more backups or delays."

Speaking of bridge number 6, found this on ADOT's youtube site today:

[rte66man]

Bumping to note that the barricades on the rebuilt Bridge #6 are being removed today and tomorrow ... and, in fact, traffic is quite a mess right now due to traffic breaks, etc. Also, the paving work from MP0-13 is just about done, too.
http://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2016/05/12/jla-traffic-advisory-bridge-construction-to-delay-traffic-alternate-route-suggested

Traffic will be disrupted Thursday and Friday in the Gorge by construction work wrapping up on Bridge No. 6; motorists are advised to take an alternate route.

Construction crews will be removing the temporary concrete barriers from the Bridge No. 6 construction zone, Arizona Department of Public Safety Sgt. John Bottoms said.

... "These are the final days of construction and the bridge will be open soon,"  Bottoms said, "and there will be no more backups or delays."

Speaking of bridge number 6, found this on ADOT's youtube site today:

I wish all DOTs would post videos like this.

[Max Rockatansky]

Bumping to note that the barricades on the rebuilt Bridge #6 are being removed today and tomorrow ... and, in fact, traffic is quite a mess right now due to traffic breaks, etc. Also, the paving work from MP0-13 is just about done, too.
http://www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2016/05/12/jla-traffic-advisory-bridge-construction-to-delay-traffic-alternate-route-suggested

Traffic will be disrupted Thursday and Friday in the Gorge by construction work wrapping up on Bridge No. 6; motorists are advised to take an alternate route.

Construction crews will be removing the temporary concrete barriers from the Bridge No. 6 construction zone, Arizona Department of Public Safety Sgt. John Bottoms said.

... "These are the final days of construction and the bridge will be open soon,"  Bottoms said, "and there will be no more backups or delays."

Speaking of bridge number 6, found this on ADOT's youtube site today:

I wish all DOTs would post videos like this.

I'm surprised they maintain a site with so few subscribers, they have some really neat videos.  My favorites generally came out of the US 89 cave in and Navajo 20 saga a couple years back.