Fiber optic work continues along SR-9 through Zion

Construction crews are continuing work on a major fiber optic project along State Route 9 and through Zion National Park, part of a network that will eventually stretch more than 130 miles through southern Utah.

A worker in high-visibility safety gear walks beside a trailer carrying large coiled materials. Photo courtesy of UDOT.

The Utah Depart­ment of Transporta­tion’s (UDOT) Zion Canyon Fiber Optics Project is installing fiber along SR-9, the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway, US-89 and SR-20. The new infra­structure is intended to support transporta­tion technology includ­ing traffic cameras, electronic message signs and weather stations, while also providing infrastruc­ture that can improve broadband connectiv­ity in surrounding communities.

The work is particu­larly visible to motor­ists traveling between the east and south entrances of Zion Na­tional Park.

According to UDOT’s September 24 con­struction update, crews are paving por­tions of SR-9 between the park’s south and east gates, outside the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway tunnel. Work is scheduled from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mon­day through Thursday through Oct. 22. Mo­torists should expect periods of one-way traffic and delays of up to 15 minutes.

Crews are also work­ing elsewhere along the project corridor. Current work includes drilling, trenching and conduit installation near Hurricane, as well as construction along US-89 near Al­ton and Hatch and near the junction of US-89 and SR-20.

Overnight closures of the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway that had been scheduled for Sept. 28-30 have been postponed because of material delays. UDOT said a new schedule will be an­nounced when avail­able.

The fiber project began in June and is being completed in two phases. Phase 1 includes the SR-9 and Zion corridor and is ex­pected to continue into spring 2027. Phase 2, which includes work along US-89 and SR- 20, began in August and is currently sched­uled for completion in December.

UDOT says the sys­tem will provide con­nections for Intelligent Transportation Sys­tems used to monitor road and weather con­ditions and manage traffic and incidents. The project also cre­ates “middle-mile” fiber infrastructure that can support im­proved local broad­band service through connections made by telecommunications providers.

Construction sched­ules may change be­cause of weather, util­ity conflicts or mate­rial delays. Motorists traveling through Zion should continue to expect construction equipment, lane re­strictions and inter­mittent delays as work progresses.