Wide Load Restriction: SR-162 | All wide loads are restricted until further notice** due to full-depth milling activity. Additionally, a minimum 12-inch clearance from ground level remains in effect. Please contact our hotline at 801-838-8364 for early coordination.

Holiday Suspension: *Crews will not be working on Friday, April 3 and Monday, April 6 due to the Easter holiday weekend

Project Introduction

The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), in partnership with the Navajo Nation, has received a Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects Grant. The grant will be used to improve safety on SR-162 and SR-262 in San Juan County, Utah. Additional federal and state funding has been approved, with work tentatively scheduled to continue through 2026.

Project Purpose and Improvements

The project objectives are intended to improve safety and pavement along 53 miles of road in San Juan County between SR-162 and SR-262. Additional improvements include rebuilding multiple structures and other roadway-specific enhancements. This project will make travel safer, smoother, and more convenient for:

Residents in the area
Visitors traveling to Bears Ears, Four Corners, and Hovenweep National Monuments
Workers serving the petroleum extraction industry in the region

The following is a shortlist of key upgrades:

Improve pavement
Improve and/or install safety features such as guardrail, cattleguards, extra signage, protected turn lanes, and pavement markings
Widen lanes and/or add shoulders
Rebuild or improve several dozen culverts and flood mitigation infrastructure
Build a roundabout at the SR-162 and SR-262 intersection
Replace the SR-162 bridge over McElmo Creek
Install fiber-optic conduit
Install over 50 cattle guards at various roadway access points
Build a livestock crossing under SR-162

Stay Informed

To receive occasional construction email updates, please enter your information below:

Map showing construction area of SR-162/SR-262 from Bluff to Colorado boarder. UDOT PIN 17894

SR-262 Guardrail Installations | 01/14/26

McElmo Bridge Deck Forms.

McElmo Bridge Deck Forms | 06/24/25

Montezuma Creek Roundabout Grading

Montezuma Creek Roundabout Sub-Grading | 06/24/25

Three construction workers assembling headwall and culvert with the road of SR-262 above them.

Culvert Extension and Headwall Assembly | SR-262 | 02/10/25


Shoulder Extensions \| SR-262 \| 02/10/25

New cattleguard with construction barrels around it and construction equipment behind.

Completed Cattleguard Installation | SR-162 @ Montezuma Creek | 02/10/25

Side of the road on SR-262 trenched out with an excavator in the background in order to install Fiber optic cable.

Trenching for Fiber Optic Conduit Installation | SR-262 | 02/10/25

Documents

SR-162 & SR-262-Construction Posters-lower res.pdf SR162_262_Info_Flyers.pdf

Schedule

Work Hours: 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Workdays: Monday through Friday (excluding holidays)

*Crews will not be working on Friday, April 3 and Monday, April 6 due to the Easter holiday weekend

Schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions and material availability.

live

Construction: August 2024 - June 2026

Traffic Update - Updated as of March 30, 2026

SR-262

US-191 to Montezuma Creek: Paving activity is complete. Varied work requiring short-distance flagging and pilot car operations will continue to maintain safety for crews installing new guardrail and roadside signs and markers. Motorists should expect light delays.

SR-162

Bluff to Montezuma Creek: A final layer of paving is anticipated to return as early as mid-May (updated).

Montezuma Creek to Aneth: Wide load restrictions remain in place until further notice. A minimum 12-inch ground clearance requirement also remains in effect. Paving activity currently paused until Tuesday, April 7. A full rebuild of the road surface continues between Montezuma Creek and Aneth. Drivers should slow down and use caution, as the full depth of asphalt has been removed for up to 4 miles. Expect bumps where asphalt transitions to dirt and be prepared for flagging and pilot car operations.

Aneth to Colorado Border: Occasional shoulder operations will occur as needed. No delays are anticipated.

SR-162/262 Montezuma Creek Roundabout

The new roundabout is officially open. While the traffic bypass detour remains in place, it is closed to public travel. Downlighting over the roundabout is anticipated to be installed on a date TBA. (updated)

Please see the Traffic Impacts tab for more details.

complete

Milestones

Project Milestones

Contractor advertising (March/April 2024)
Contractor awarded (May 2024)
Groundbreaking event (August 13, 2024)
More than 70% of paving completed in 2025, with work resuming in 2026
McElmo Bridge completed (November 2025)
Cattleguards installed (January 2026)
Roundabout grand opening (February 2026)

Contact Information

To contact the Public Information Team with questions or concerns:

Hotline: 801-838-8364
Email: sr162-262@utah.gov
Website: udotinput.utah.gov/sr162-262

This is hidden text that lets us know when google translate runs.

**Wide Load Restriction: SR-162 | All wide loads are restricted until further notice due to full-depth milling activity. Additionally, a minimum 12-inch clearance from ground level remains in effect. Please contact our hotline at 801-838-8364 for early coordination.