The Zion-Mt Carmel Highway located in Zion National Park is a historic road that was officially opened in 1930. Since its opening this road has not had any major repairs done but that is all changing. Zion Road is now going through some major construction and the schedule for this maintenance has been revised. The new construction is scheduled to run from June 1st through the end of October with the repairs beginning on June 7th.
The park will remain open throughout the construction process so you can still plan a trip to Zion for a family vacation. The areas of the park that is most visited will still be accessible according to Superintendent Jock Whitworth because Interstate 15 accessed by State Road 9 will not be affected by this construction project. The part of the highway that will be affected is between US89 and Zion Canyon.
During the construction, Tunnel Road will be closed to travelers between 9am through 4pm. The road will be opened after 4pm however, work will continue at night under traffic control and visitors should expect delays. Travelers will not be allowed to stop or park along the road and no pedestrians or bicyclist are allowed on the road during construction.
Tunnel Road will be open on Saturdays, Sundays and on holidays but traffic control will be possible during these times. Bicyclist will still not be allowed on the road during this time but travelers can hike or park along the way as long as they stay out of work areas.
Any large vehicle traveling through the construction is required to have an escort. Vehicles that fall into this category include anything that’s 11’4” tall or 7’10” wide or larger. These vehicles can only travel Tunnel Road Monday through Friday from 7am to 9am and then again from 4pm to 8pm and weekends from 7am to 8pm through July 31st. The hours may be shorter after July 31st due to the days being shorter. Escorts will not be available when it’s dark.
When traveling through the construction, drive slowly for safety. There will be places where the road is uneven and workers located throughout the area. When this reconstruction project is finished, the road will be much smoother and safer for the millions of visitors that travel to the park each year.
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