A. Statutory Authority: The statutory authority for enacting this section is Utah Code Annotated sections 17-53-223 and 72-7-408, as amended.
B. Purpose Of Provisions: The purpose of this section is to protect highway foundation, surfaces, and structures on Kolob Mountain Road (aka Kolob Terrace Road) from damage and deterioration caused by climatic conditions by restricting the use of certain vehicles during certain times of the year. The National Park Service closes the road to vehicle traffic from fall to spring due to weather conditions. The closure begins at Maloney Hill about one mile from Hop Valley Trailhead. After the road opens, moisture from melting ice and snow has accumulated under the road surface making it prone to edge failure, surface damage, sinkage, and other failures. Preventing stress from heavy vehicles by restricting use on the roadway minimizes road damage and failure until the subsurface of the road hardens and stabilizes. These regulations do not apply to National Park Service roadways.
C. Prohibition Of Certain Truck Traffic On Kolob Mountain Road: Prohibited vehicles, dump trucks, cement trucks and truck tractors carrying or towing either trailers or semitrailers are prohibited on Kolob Mountain Road from March 1 to June 30 of each year. Farm trucks, farm tractors, fuel trucks, and other overweight vehicles must be issued a permit by the County Public Works Department, after completion of an application and payment of a fee, to access Kolob Mountain Road during the prohibited dates. Permits will not be issued until the road is inspected by the Public Works Department and determined to be traffic-worthy.
D. Signs To Be Posted: The Road Department shall erect signs warning of the road restrictions for the portion of Kolob Mountain Road affected by this section.
E. Permit Application: The County Public Works Department may, upon receipt of an application and good cause shown and upon payment of a fee, issue a permit. The County Public Works Department may deny or issue a permit under this section to protect the highway foundation, surfaces and structures on Kolob Mountain Road from undue damage by one or more of the following:
1. Limiting the number of trips the vehicle may make;
2. Establishing time limits within which the vehicle may operate or move on Kolob Mountain Road;
3. Requiring security in the form of a cash escrow or cash bond in addition to the permit to compensate for any potential damage by the vehicle to the highway; and
4. Otherwise limiting the conditions of operation or movement of the vehicle.
F. Designation of Kolob Mountain Road as Open to Snow Machines, Sleds, Snowmobiles:
1. During the National Park Service closure of Kolob Mountain Road, within the unincorporated area of Washington County, the road is designated as open for snow machine, sled, or snowmobile use. The official road closure period is defined as when the road has been officially closed for the season to conventional motor vehicle traffic due to snow. This designation does not include any road under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Forest Service, or roads on private property unless such use is otherwise permitted, or those roads are part of the county road system.
2. When crossing another street or highway, the operator shall come to a complete stop before crossing, proceed only after yielding the right of way to oncoming traffic, and proceed by crossing at a right angle.
3. Loading or unloading a snow machine, sled, or snowmobile from a vehicle or trailer shall be done safely and at the nearest practical point of operation.
4. When directed during an emergency by a peace officer or other public authority, a snow machine, sled, or snowmobile may be used in locations where the operation of a conventional motor vehicle is impractical.
G. Penalty: Any person who violates any restriction imposed by this section is guilty of a Class B misdemeanor and, upon conviction, subject to penalty as provided in section 1-4-1 of this Code, and may be ordered to pay restitution for any road damage caused by violating this section. (Ord. 2017-1084-O, 4-18-2017; amd. Ord. 2024-1248-O, 1-16-2024)