The winding Logan Canyon has long been a scenic drive for folks in northern Utah, with thousands of people making the trek through it every summer on the way to Bear Lake and back.
But for years, the canyon has had a big drawback — a lack of cellphone service. Most critically, calls to 911 after car crashes and other emergencies can’t go through, and people often have to drive to either end of the canyon to call first responders.
A new construction project through Logan Canyon starting in August could be the first step toward addressing that lack of service.
UDOT will start installing roughly 30 miles of fiber optic cables in the canyon, according to UDOT Region 1 Director Rob Wight. The fiber will also lead to more traffic cameras being installed, and later an automated sign. As of now, there are only two traffic cameras in the canyon, and the fiber installation will be a noticeable upgrade.
“The purpose is, obviously, safety and letting motorists know of conditions in the canyon,” Wight said.
But one of the larger benefits will ultimately be down the road with improved cell service, as the fiber will make it easier for cell towers to be installed in the area. The improvement is something Cache County Executive David Zook has spent the past 2 years pushing for.
“The biggest public safety improvement that will come out of this project will be the fact that cellphone towers will be able to be installed and people have access for emergency calls in the canyon,” Zook said. “Currently, there’s no service at all for almost the entire Canyon.”
Zook added it’s common for drivers to travel over 30 minutes to either end of the canyon just to get a call through during emergencies, and said he’s happy the fiber project is a go.
Wight said the project will start with construction on either end of the canyon. The fiber will begin to be installed near Logan and Utah State University on one end, and near Bear Lake and Peter Sinks on the other end, according to Wight.
He added the construction will mostly be limited to the shoulder of the road, but that likely means there will be lane closures depending on the area. The project will last through the fall, before stopping during the winter and resuming early next year.
“I know anytime we take lanes that gets frustrating for people wanting to get up to Bear Lake or down to Logan to do their business,” Wight said. ”Just be patient with us, this is going to be a great thing when it’s done.”
