Utah DOT Project Adding New Safety Features to US-6

August 29, 2025

A new Utah Department of Transportation project is making a range of  safety improvements along U.S. Route 6 in Spanish Fork Canyon; a project expected to wrap up by the end of 2025.

[Above photo by Utah DOT]

For approximately two decades, the state Legislature and Utah Transportation Commission have worked to increase funding for projects along US-6, the agency said, allocating more than $148 million to widen lanes, install median barriers, enhance intersections, add curve warning signs and implement other safety and capacity improvements.

While these projects have significantly reduced the number of crashes, still more work lies ahead, as Utah DOT said it “ultimately envisions” US-6 will become a four-lane highway.

[Editor’s note: State departments of transportation often use “Roadway Safety Assessments” to identify specific safety enhancements a state road may require. The video below from the South Carolina Department of Transportations explains how such assessments are conducted.]

“US-6 is a critical route for so many Utahns, and these improvements are about making every trip safer,” noted Boyd Humpherys, Utah DOT Region 3 deputy director, in a statement. “This project is part of our long-term effort to reduce crashes and protect lives by adding new median barriers, improving lighting, and upgrading drainage systems. We’re using the best available data to guide our work and plan for even more improvements ahead.”

[Editor’s note: The Utah DOT video below explains why the “chip sealing” process for roads is a super-efficient and cost-effective way to extend pavement life. ]

In addition to this safety project, several other projects to improve US-6 are in the design phase, Utah DOT said. Those projects, worth a total of $113.2 million, will:

  • Widen US-6 to five lanes from Chicken Hollow to Tie Fork.
  • Create a grade separation of the US-6 and US-89 intersection at Thistle Junction.
  • Widen US-6 and add a median barrier near Soldier Summit.
  • Improve several intersections along US-6 in the Spring Glen area.
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