UDOT crews repair Southern Utah Interstate 15 bridge after excavator strike
May 21, 2025
Oversized load scraped beams of Washington County bridge
The Utah Department of Transportation is repairing two beams on an I-15 bridge in Washington County after they were struck by an excavator last year.
Northbound I-15 will be down to one lane from 7 p.m. to 8 a.m. through the end of June for repairs. Work will be suspended and all lanes will be open in this area over the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
Located 30 miles north of the Utah/Arizona border at Exit 30, the bridge was hit in July of 2024 and caused major delays. The operator forgot to lower the excavator’s arm before transporting it on a trailer headed north on I-15, and it didn’t clear the Browse interchange bridge’s 16’ height restriction.
“It is critical to understand route height restrictions as well as the configuration of any load that you are hauling. It’s also very important to chain down equipment and lower dump beds to prevent hitting bridges. These hits pose safety hazards, are extremely costly to repair, and can create significant delays.” UDOT Bridge Management Engineer Becky Nix said.
After an immediate assessment following the collision, engineers determined the interchange would remain operable but need repairs. Now UDOT crews are working to splice the old, undamaged rebar inside the beams (also known as girders) with new rebar to replace what was damaged using mechanical connectors. The concrete will then be recast and wrapped with a fiber-reinforced polymer wrap to secure the patch and return the strength to the beam.
“We are performing these repairs to return the beam to its original capacity and durability, while at the same time limiting the overall impact that a bridge replacement would impose,” Nix said. “We take a great deal of pride in keeping our bridges up to date, up to standards and in good health.”
Construction schedules are weather-dependent and subject to change. For the latest information on traffic restrictions during construction, visit the UDOT Traffic website (udottraffic.utah.gov) or download the UDOT Traffic app for iPhone or Android. Drivers can also follow UDOT on social media including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.