Utah officials plan $1.6 million in improvements on scenic road
ST. GEORGE, Utah - Utah transportation officials are planning $1.6 million in improvements for bicycle travel on a scenic stretch of state Route 18 disrupted by a recent highway project north of St. George.
The stretch of highway through Snow Canyon State Park was one of the most popular in the region before the Utah Department of Transportation repaved it earlier this year.
New "rumble strips" along narrower shoulders made it safer for drivers but nearly impossible for cyclists to navigate the road.
"I would say 99 percent of people decide not to ride it at all, which from a tourism side is horrible for us," said Ryan Gurr, co-owner of Red Rock Bicycle Company and a board member with the Southern Utah Bicycle Alliance, an advocacy group that organized in the wake of the SR-18 construction to represent cyclists' interests in the area.
The group joined with local officials and convinced UDOT that the safety concerns for cyclists and ensuing loss of tourism revenue warranted a change. Now the state has agreed to improve the roadway, adding 6 to 8 feet of shoulder on both sides of the roadway on a four-mile stretch from Diamond Valley to the Ledges development, as well as on another stretch of road already under construction near Snow Canyon Parkway.
The route is a key part of the St. George Ironman, Huntsman Senior World Games, the Tour de St. George and other major events.
