Officials with the Utah Transportation Department and the Salt Lake Organizing Committee are advising truckers to avoid Salt Lake City if possible as the Winter Olympics get ready to kick off on Friday.

For some time, officials have been warning that travel times through the area could triple or quadruple due to heavier-than-usual traffic. With Olympic venues located inside and outside the city Feb. 8-24, travel will be affected on Interstates 80, 84, 215 and 15, as well as on U.S. Highways 89 and 140.
I-80, the region's main east-west artery, is expected to see traffic so bad on some days that a typical 45-minute drive from Salt Lake to Park City could take four hours. Olympic organizers are especially asking truckers to avoid Interstate 80 eastbound during the morning hours -- or even better, travel it only at night. If you can, detour southbound on I-70 through Denver and I-70/15 through Las Vegas.
If you must pick up or deliver in the city, keep in mind that many road restrictions are already in place, and a number of unique closures will be instigated for the torch relay on Thursday. This will include full road closures at the following locations from 6 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.:
Main Street: South Temple to 500 South, both directions
State Street (will remain closed until 4 a.m.): North Temple to 500 South, both directions
400 South: West Temple to 300 East, both directions
East/West streets from West Temple to 200 East (300 South to 500 South), both directions
North Temple: 300 West to 200 West, both directions
The torch will enter the Salt Lake valley on Thursday around 4 p.m. Fifteen-minute rolling road restrictions will move with the torch through the valley, from the University of Utah area through the Avenues, arriving at the State of Utah Capitol building at approximately 6 p.m. The torch relay will then head south on State Street through the downtown area and then south and east, returning downtown at approximately 8:30 p.m. and finally arriving at the City County Building on Washington Square at approximately 10 p.m.
On Friday, 15-minute rolling road restrictions will be in place starting at 5 a.m. as the torch moves from the Olympic Medals Plaza downtown into Davis County and then back into Salt Lake County, through many cities, including West Valley, Kearns, Draper, Sandy and Murray. The torch will then return to the downtown area at approximately 6 p.m. as it makes its way to Rice-Eccles Olympic Stadium for Opening Ceremony.
Rolling closures related to the torch relay could impact traffic for up to one hour due to arriving and departing spectator crowds on the torch relay route. All torch relay times are approximated and subject to change.
You can find more information on the Olympic road closures at www.dot.state.ut.us or www.utahcommuterlink.com.