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EDEN, Weber County — The steep road between Eden and the Powder Mountain ski resort — site of two deadly motor vehicle accidents since 2018 brought on by brake failure — will be getting a runaway truck ramp.
"It's one of, if not the steepest road we manage in all of Region 1," said Utah Department of Transportation spokesman Mitch Shaw. Region 1 is the northernmost, six-county road maintenance area of UDOT.
The grade along the 5-mile section of state Route 158 between Powder Mountain and Eden averages 14%, making for potentially treacherous downhill driving at times. Shaw said two fatal crashes have occurred on the roadway since 2018, both involving larger vehicles that experienced brake failure. There have also been several other serious, though not deadly, accidents.
"This is a routine safety project as this roadway is very steep. We meet regularly with our community partners and discuss ways to improve safety, and Powder Mountain is in favor of the project," Shaw said. Work started last month, and the $8 million project should be done in November.
The system consists of an escape ramp inside a concrete chute with cable nets to stop vehicles. A similar system — which hasn't yet had to be used — was installed along U.S. 89 in Logan Canyon in 2020.
"When a truck hits the cables, they are designed to wrap around the truck, causing it to lose speed and eventually stop," according to UDOT. The system "provides truck drivers with a safe, secure alternative in the event they are out of control coming downhill."
As installation proceeds, traffic will be able to get through the section where the work is taking place, between mileposts 7 and 10 along S.R. 158, but UDOT says motorists may experience delays of up to 20 minutes. "Alternating one-way traffic controlled with temporary traffic signals is now in place around the clock," according to UDOT.
The steep road to Powder Mountain was the last leg of one of the stages in the now-defunct Tour of Utah bike race in 2019.
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