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HELPER — U.S. 6 in Price Canyon is open again after flooding that has impacted Utah this weekend caused significant damage to the road.
The Utah Department of Transportation announced that the road was closed between Helper and Soldier Summit due to flood damage early Sunday afternoon. More than 24 hours later, at 3:13 p.m. Monday, it announced the road was now open to the public.
The department also cited debris and mudslides for the closure.
The eastbound road was closed at the U.S. 89 junction and the westbound road was closed at the U.S. 191 junction.
Crews worked overnight laying gravel to make sure the road was available for any emergency vehicles that needed to get through.
Update: our goal is to now reopen US-6 between Helper and Soldier Summit by late afternoon. Crews are working to make sure the area is safe for vehicles by placing barrier and traffic signs. pic.twitter.com/bsm2W8c4PY
— Utah DOT (@UtahDOT) September 4, 2023
Although the road is now open, UDOT said the speed limit in the area will be reduced to 25 mph over the next few days as construction continues.
Emma Park was not recommended as an alternative due to a flooding hazard and road conditions. Southbound Emma Park Road was also closed four miles south of Duchesne, UDOT said.
One traveler posted on Facebook a video that appears to show a considerable amount of water flowing over the road in a part of Price Canyon.
Daneil Robison, a representative for the Carbon County Sheriff's Office, said there is a box culvert being built in Crandall Canyon.
Most of the action so far today has been across far northern Utah and western Utah, but more widespread precipitation will spread across northern Utah and SW Wyoming this evening and overnight with the primary threats being torrential rainfall and gusty winds. #utwx#wywxpic.twitter.com/Q3J7jcF5u6
— NWS Salt Lake City (@NWSSaltLakeCity) September 4, 2023
The sheriff's office also cited a burn scar that was left by the Bear Fire in 2021.
Driver Nathan Strain got caught in the backup caused by the flooding.
"I could hear big huge rocks tumbling in the bottom of the flowing water. It sounded like thunder but from the ground," he said. "It was tons of water flowing over that road. By the time I got there, it had gouged out the road pretty deep, so it was flowing kind of at road level."
The National Weather Service had issued a severe thunderstorm watch for 11 of Utah's counties into Sunday evening: Juab, Millard, Utah, Tooele, Salt Lake, Davis, Morgan, Weber, Rich, Cache and Box Elder counties. The watch also included parts of southeastern Idaho.
Contributing: Linda Williams, Michael Houck, Shelby Lofton
