SR 163/Monument Valley Road Roundabout CEM

A popular tourist destination, Monument Valley lies within the Navajo Nation Reservation territory and is served by Monument Valley Road, a low-speed corridor used by residents, and SR 163, a high-speed roadway. These two roads intersect near the Monument Valley Welcome Center and provide critical access to Monument Valley High School and various medical facilities. The intersection also experiences a high volume of fatal T-bone accidents.

To calm traffic and reduce accident frequency, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) initiated a project to replace the current intersection with a new roundabout configuration that eliminates conflicts associated with left turns. Lochner provided construction engineering management (CEM) and public involvement.

Through the duration of construction, Lochner provided a full-time, on-site field inspector who worked closely with the contractor to review shop drawings and process change orders as well as review and approve materials—critical for the project’s success given its highly remote location. By assessing materials as they arrived, Lochner maintained quality despite long concrete haul times and the possible cooling compaction of asphalt during transit.

As the nearest existing bypass road was roughly 150 miles away, the original design required the contractor to phase roundabout construction. Lochner coordinated extensively with the Navajo Nation, the Navajo Department of Transportation, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, and the contractor to facilitate building a temporary bypass road that provided essential access during construction. This temporary bypass road was both safer and more convenient for residents, tourists, and construction workers, and its incorporation into the project decreased construction by nearly a month.