UDOT finally gets muddy U.S. 6 open

SCOFIELD JUNCTION — Utah Department of Transportation crews and Utah Highway Patrol troopers toiled long into the night Thursday, finally opening mud-logged U.S. 6 after 11 p.m.

But it's still unknown how long construction on the passing lanes will be delayed by the soggy mess near the Scofield Junction and the Utah County/Carbon County border.

"We don't know the set-back on the project," said Adan Carillo, spokesman for UDOT. "We don't know exactly how long (it will take) to put us back on schedule."

Heavy rains drenched the area, pushing loose construction dirt onto the road and sweeping concrete barriers onto the road with it, shutting both lanes at about 4 p.m. Thursday.

The dirt and concrete were moved a few hours later, but the continuing rain was the main problem, Carillo said.

"We hardly get rains like these," he said. "Usually when we do have rains, they just tend to pass by; this one sat there for a while."

Utah Highway Patrol trooper Cameron Roden said there were seven to eight UHP troopers on both sides of the slide, helping with traffic control and cleaning up.

"We're lucky that we work very closely with the UHP," Carillo said. "We're always working as a team. It seems like every year, there's always something. Hopefully this year these mudslides were it and we won't have any other issues like this. But if we do, it's nice to know we have our team of experts ready to go, to make sure people are safe."