MORGAN COUNTY, Utah — A semi-truck rollover accident in Weber Canyon on Tuesday spilled gallons of potassium-based fertilizer on the highway, one of 23 similar incidents that have happened in front of Mountain Green Fire Protection District Chief Brian Brendel's home in recent years.
"It’s pretty crazy that 23 [since 2020] of these things happened about a mile-and-a-half from my house,” said Brendel. “That’s an extraordinary amount of rolled-over semis.”
The curve in question is westbound Interstate 84 at milepost 90 in Weber Canyon.
"We’ve been very fortunate — it’s been cute, it’s been funny, because on some occasions it’s beer, hay, soda pop,” explained Brendel. “But one of these days it’s going to be much worse.”
There are signs to remind truck drivers to slow down through the canyon, but the chief is hoping the Utah Department of Transportation, which manages the road, can do more.
"Better signage closer to where the incidents happen, a reduction in speed limit, coupled with enforcement,” suggested Brendel.
FOX 13 News asked UDOT if lowering the speed limit is something they can do, but they say trucks already have a lower speed limit than cars, at 55 miles per hour compared to the normal limit of 65 miles per hour.
UDOT spokesperson Miles Shaw added that crews are doing what they can to keep people safe on the roads.
"There’s a river and there’s mountains on either side of the road, so we're really constrained in what we can do just because of the sheer geography up there,” explained Shaw. “So signage is something that we're always looking at. After this last crash, we’re going to analyze where that occurred and see maybe if we could place some additional signage, maybe some flashing signs.”
Rollover accidents also lead to long delays for drivers. Brendel also worries about fire crews who respond to the incidents.
"The westbound lanes are two lanes, and they are separated by the Weber River from the eastbound lanes. It’s not like we could just flip around and run away if we need to," he said. "Unfortunately, you have to think about flipping around and running away because some of this hazardous material is pretty scary."
Ultimately, the chief said it’s up to drivers.
"It’s a lot of concern for us," he shared. "We want the trucks to slow down, we want them to just take it easy around the curve.
"We can’t just ignore it; we need help. We want to make sure that nothing tragic happens here. It’s a safety issue that is paramount for me."
