- UDOT completed the U.S. 191 realignment near Vernal, enhancing safety and efficiency.
- The project, started in March 2024, replaced 2.6 miles of sharp, tight curves.
- Partnership with Simplot Phosphates saved $40 million, benefiting both public and private sectors, according to UDOT.
SALT LAKE CITY — A nearly two-year project to replace a stretch of highway in eastern Utah for the sake of improving safety is officially completed.
The Utah Department of Transportation announced on Monday that the new U.S. 191 alignment just north of Vernal is finished.
The U.S. 191 realignment project replaces the 2.6-mile switchback portion of the highway located 12 miles north of Vernal with an alignment with fewer turns and standard horizontal curves, UDOT explained.
Crews began work on the project in March 2024 to improve the route to Flaming Gorge by replacing sharp curves with horizontal ones, the addition of a northbound climbing lane and a southbound passing lane to allow traffic to pass safely, a new emergency truck ramp, and optimized grades, designed to improve safety for semitrucks.
UDOT said it worked with Vernal-based Simplot Phosphates, via a private-public partnership, which aided with support in moving millions of cubic yards of earth for the new road embankments, which the transportation agency said saved taxpayers approximately $40 million.
Sen. Ron Winterton, R-Roosevelt, called the partnership between UDOT and Simplot Phosphates "a win-win."
"They can come back and mine where the current road exists, and we get a new, safer road," he said in a statement.
UDOT Region 3 Director Rob Clayton agreed.
"It's a win for the traveling public, who now have a safer and more efficient road; a win for Simplot, which can continue its operations in the area for decades to come; and a win for UDOT, as our partnership allowed us to deliver the project faster and at a lower cost," he said in a statement.
Simplot leaders said the realignment project signifies a milestone in infrastructure collaboration between the public sector and a private entity.
"We're proud to be part of a solution that strengthens Utah's rural connectivity and long-term growth," said G. Rey Reinhardt, president of Simplot AgriBusiness, in a statement.
UDOT said the elimination of switchbacks along the stretch of U.S. 191 allows drivers to enjoy the new road and the views of eastern Utah with a smoother experience.
