Utah Department of Transportation

This week, a large pothole developed on I-84, presenting an urgent challenge. In under 48 hours, our crews assessed the situation, carried out necessary repairs, and reopened the road to traffic. That's just how we do it around here. 😮💨

After 25 remarkable years, we bid farewell and good luck to Robert Miles, Director of Traffic & Safety, as he embarks on his next chapter. From his start as a rotational engineer to leadership roles in safety, design, and operations, Robert’s impact has been felt across UDOT and Utah. Reflecting on his career, he says he leaves with “excitement for the future and pride in the past.” Robert's other parting words? “We’re here to act. We’re supposed to influence what happens in the world, and we all have that ability. We're not here to wait. We’re here to make the world a better place." Thank you, Robert for your service. Our state is, indeed, a better place because of your dedication. #TeamUDOT

Imagine a smarter commute with smoother traffic flow—without adding a single lane. Thanks to a $39.6M federal Congestion Relief Grant, we’re hoping to make this a reality on southbound I-15 in Salt Lake County with Coordinated Adaptive Ramp Metering (CARM). Our team will be one of the first in the nation to use CARM, a vehicle sensor system that adjusts ramp meters in real-time to improve traffic flow. Unlike traditional ramp meters, which use simple sensors in its area to inform wait times, CARM utilizes numerous vehicle detection sensors at all of its locations to make real-time changes to ramp meter wait times. Construction is expected to begin in 2027. Big win for Grant Farnsworth and the team! #TeamUDOT #CARM #RampMetering

Avalanche safety is serious business—but it’s also pretty cool. This week, we tested the avalanche mitigation equipment which included the 16 new Remote Avalanche Control Systems (RACS) in Little Cottonwood Canyon. These gas-powered towers are changing how we trigger avalanches and reducing the use of artillery to keep canyon travelers safe. If a canyon closes for avalanche work this winter, rest assured it’s always for a reason—we intentionally trigger smaller, controlled avalanches to prevent larger, unpredictable ones from posing a danger to the canyon and those traveling through it.

Reason #4,561 we have the best team: 👇 Our State Traffic Signal Operations Engineer, Mark Taylor just received the Public Safety Award from Salt Lake Police Department! His outstanding work on crash reconstruction and the training he developed to help officers better understand traffic signals are making a real difference. Couldn't be more deserved. Great work, Mark! Do you have a teammate doing amazing work or earning recognition? Don’t keep it to yourself—let us know! We’d love to spotlight the incredible efforts of #TeamUDOT from every department.

When transportation works seamlessly, it often goes unnoticed—and that’s exactly how it should be. But behind the scenes, our folks work tirelessly to keep Utah moving safely and efficiently. Our teams give their all, often facing risks most will never see. Dale Talbot from our Incident Management Team knows this better than anyone. Last month, while assisting a Utah Highway Patrol trooper, Dale experienced a terrifying moment when an out-of-control SUV slammed into his truck, narrowly missing the trooper’s much smaller vehicle parked in front. Thankfully, everyone was unharmed, but it’s a stark reminder of the risks our people face every day. From repairing potholes and fixing traffic signals to acting as first responders, our teams put themselves in harm’s way to make Utah’s roads safer. This week, we have so much to be grateful for. I'm thankful that Dale was unharmed in this recent incident, and I'm grateful for every member of our team whose hard work and commitment save lives and make lives better. #TeamUDOT

Our ROW (Right of Way) Division just found a way to time-travel! Well, not exactly. But a recent ROW project has saved years of manual work, which is almost the same, right? This division, which is in charge of acquiring and managing property for highway projects, saved years-worth of effort by developing an AI program that extracts parcel data used in everyday work. While it previously took an analyst a week to identify 30 parcels, the AI program allows them sift through up to 400 parcels per week. This innovative solution is helping us create a more comprehensive, efficient, and accurate inventory of the state's land potential - and it won the UDOT GIS team (pictured below) the Frances B. Francois Award for Innovation at this year's AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) Annual Meeting. Great work, team! #TeamUDOT #transportation #UDOT #GIS

Did you know that as the Department of Transportation, we’re also involved in Utah’s local airports? That's right! And in case you missed it, there's a new runway in our state. Last month, Utah's newest runway in Fairfield officially reopened. The old runway was 2,600 feet long and 24 feet wide, and the new one is a spacious 5,300 feet long and 60 feet wide. This means safer operations and reduced training traffic at other Wasatch Front airports. Great work from Utah Division of Aeronautics! #TeamUDOT #aeronautics #utahairports

We know the saying “we’re like a family” can sound cliché coming from your employer—but in this case, it feels true. This year Region Two hosted a Friendsgiving that brought together maintenance crews, engineers, and administration to celebrate the season with great food, camaraderie, and community. Rustin Walker from WCF also joined in on the fun to award Region Two Trainer Craig Keith with the 2024 Safety Award. Congratulations, Craig! To the rest of #TeamUDOT: we hope this week you take time to celebrate with loved ones. Just know your hard work and commitment make a real difference, and we appreciate you more than words can say. This week, and every week, we're grateful for YOU.

"Why does UDOT even have an Instagram?" This is why. 👇 Last week, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) BYU Chapter stopped by the SR-201/3200 W bridge project. This visit came about after they saw our Bridgefest campaign on Instagram and reached out for a closer look at one of the featured projects. It’s a great reminder of how social media connects us with future professionals and inspires learning opportunities. One student even showed up in a Bridgefest sweatshirt - that's a future #TeamUDOT member right there!