188 crashes reported along Wasatch Front as snowstorm affects driving conditions

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SALT LAKE CITY — Dozens of crashes took place along the Wasatch Front on Sunday morning as a powerful snowstorm affected driving conditions across the state.

There were 135 crashes in Salt Lake and Utah counties from midnight Saturday to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Utah Highway Patrol officials reported. Another 40 crashes took place in Davis County during that time frame, and there were 13 in Weber County, officials said.

A series of vehicle slide-offs caused a closure of northbound I-15 near Cove Fort in Millard County, and a crash was causing lane closures on I-80 in Salt Lake County, officials said.

The interstate was closed at mile marker 137, about 3 miles north of Cove Fort, Utah Department of Transportation officials said on the agency’s website.

NB I-15 Closed
at MP 137 (3 mi N of Cove Fort) Millard Co.
Use Alt Route
— UDOT Traffic (@UDOTTRAFFIC) March 4, 2018

There were about 10-15 vehicles, including both cars and semitrucks, that slid off of the interstate in the area, Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Eric Prescott said. The crashes were due to heavy snowfall in the area, he said.

One person had a minor injury and was being transported to a hospital in Fillmore, he said.

Traffic was being diverted off of I-15 to I-70. From there, drivers would be able to go into Salina, take state Route 50 to Scipio or take state Route 89 to Nephi, Prescott said.

The northbound side of the interstate would be closed until at least 1:15 p.m., UDOT estimated. Officials were asking drivers in the area to seek an alternate route.

UDOT traffic cameras in the area showed traffic was still backed up in the area at 1:45 p.m.

Three eastbound lanes of I-80 also were briefly closed in Salt Lake County near the junction of I-15, UDOT officials said. The lanes were closed because of a crash and were reopened by about 1:30 p.m.