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SALT LAKE CITY — National experts predict that Labor Day weekend will be quite busy with travel figures reaching 2019 travel levels, if not even higher.
Adobe Analytics found that holiday travel spending is up an estimated 17% from 2019 levels, while the travel website Hopper estimates a 22% increase in airline passengers, Reuters reported earlier this week. That's on top of the tens of millions who will likely drive to destinations this weekend.
"People are not deciding to stay home. They are still going, they are still finding a way to travel," Paula Twidale, AAA's senior vice president of travel, told the news outlet.
However, drivers may run into some traffic delays in Utah if they hit the wrong time to drive, state transportation officials warn. These delays may reach 10 minutes to 40 minutes in some areas over the long weekend, according to Utah Department of Transportation engineers.
So, where when are the largest delays expected?
Friday afternoon and evening:
- Delays up to 20 minutes on northbound I-15 in Davis County from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Delays up to 30 minutes on southbound I-15 in Salt Lake County from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- Delays up to 10 minutes on southbound I-15 near Nephi from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Monday afternoon and evening:
- Delays up to 40 minutes on southbound I-15 from Salt Lake County to Nephi (times not identified)
- Delays up to 30 minutes on westbound U.S. 6 in Spanish Fork Canyon from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Delays up to 10 minutes on northbound I-15 near Nephi from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Though UDOT will suspend construction and open most of its lanes for the estimated jump in travel, there are some areas where additional delays are possible this weekend:
- I-70 near the I-15 interchange: The freeway is reduced to one lane in each direction between Cove Fort and the interchange because of a project to replace the driving surface and barrier walls on the I-70 bridge over I-15.
- I-80 and I-215 in eastern Salt Lake County: Lanes are shifted on I-80 between 1300 East and 2300 East and on I-215 between 3300 South and 4500 South as a part of an ongoing project to replace the driving surface on the freeways.
- I-80 in Tooele County: Eastbound I-80 is reduced to one lane at the Exit 84 bridge near Grantsville and the Exit 62 bridge west of Delle. Crews are replacing pavement in both areas.
- I-84 near Morgan: The freeway is reduced to one lane in each direction from Morgan to Henefer as a result of a pavement and bridge maintenance project in the area.
- U.S. 40 north of Heber City: The eastbound direction is reduced to one lane north of Heber City near Jordanelle Reservoir as a result of maintenance work on the concrete pavement in the area. Crews are also replacing the driving surfaces of the bridges over the Provo River.
Gas prices heading into the weekend
The cost of gas remains high in Utah, but it's much cheaper than it was heading into the Fourth of July weekend. The average cost of regular unleaded gas is $4.43 per gallon in Utah, down 83 cents from the $5.26 average on July 1, according to AAA. The price on July 1 set an all-time record in the state.
The cheapest gas remains in central Utah, though below-state average prices can be found in many parts of Utah's northern half. Per AAA, these are the counties with the cheapest gas in the state ahead of the holiday weekend:
- Emery: $4.17
- Sanpete: $4.18
- Juab: $4.20
- Sevier: $4.20
- Carbon: $4.22
Gas is generally the most expensive in south-central Utah and northeast Utah, where some averages are well above the statewide average. AAA says these counties have the highest average gas prices at the moment:
- Rich: $4.88
- Grand: $4.73
- Beaver: $4.72
- Kane: $4.70
- Piute: $4.70
