Major Road Buckle Forces Closure on Washington Boulevard

OGDEN — A major Ogden roadway was closed after extreme heat caused a large section to buckle Friday afternoon, disrupting traffic and prompting an urgent response from UDOT crews.The buckle formed near 1400 Washington Boulevard, spanning across two northbound lanes and forcing police to shut down traffic as crews worked to stabilize the roadway. Officials warned drivers to expect heavy congestion for hours. UDOT crews remained on scene until shortly before 10 p.m. when the road reopened. “This is a little earlier than we’re used to seeing by maybe a week or two,” said John Gleason, UDOT Public Relations Director, noting that road buckles typically begin around the Fourth of July holiday.

Heat, Rain, and Aging Joints: A Recipe for Road Buckling 

According to UDOT, this is the first road buckle of the season, though they expect 10 to 12 such incidents statewide each summer. Road buckling happens when concrete expands in extreme heat. Concrete panels are built with small joints designed to give the slabs room to expand and contract. But over time, those joints can fill with rocks, debris, and moisture — leaving the concrete nowhere to go but up. “When they warm up with the weather that we’ve had in the last day or two, if they don’t have that room to expand, they tend to move up on those slabs,” Gleason said. UDOT notes that road temperatures can run up to 50 degrees hotter than the air. The risk of buckling spikes when temperatures rise above 90 degrees, and the danger increases even more when heat is paired with recent rainfall.

UDOT Teams on Standby

Gleason said UDOT maintains a dedicated team ready to respond quickly to road buckles to prevent crashes or vehicle damage. Officials encourage drivers to report any sudden pavement “pop-ups” they encounter.

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