Simplot Works with State of Utah to Create a Safer Highway

The J.R. Simplot Company recently partnered with the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) to enhance safety along a nearly three-mile section of US Highway 191 near Simplot’s phosphate mine and mill operation in Vernal, Utah. This collaboration underscores Simplot’s commitment to improving community safety.

US-191, part of the Flaming Gorge Unitas National Scenic Byway, extends from Vernal, Utah, to Rock Springs, Wyoming. This route is highly trafficked and features steep grades of up to 8% and numerous switchbacks. A UDOT evaluation revealed that from 2010 to 2020, three serious injury crashes occurred at the northernmost switchback. Additionally, in 2021, two rollover crashes involving heavy trucks, one of which was fatal, were reported.

“Within this stretch of road, there is a series of switchbacks that are challenging to motorists and truckers alike. We’ve seen several rollover crashes involving trucks that have resulted in tragic consequences—and we want to improve the situation,” said Larry Montoya, UDOT Project Manager.

The US-191 realignment project, a joint effort between UDOT and Simplot, successfully removed several switchbacks and incorporated safety features such as a turning lane for scenic overlook access, passing lanes, and an emergency runaway truck ramp.

The original proposal in 2021 to replace the switchback portion of the highway with fewer turns and horizontal curves posed significant engineering costs and logistical challenges. Simplot identified an opportunity to extract 10 million cubic yards of overburden (soil, rock, and other sedimentary materials) atop the phosphate ore and repurpose it as the highway embankment. Simplot also granted a right-of-way through its private property, which enabled the mining of previously inaccessible phosphate ore. Combined, these contributions helped make it financially possible for UDOT to successfully improve highway safety and driving experiences for all users.

In the late 1800’s, the only navigable road through the Uinta Mountains was the Carter Military Road. This wagon road was built in 1883 by Judge William A. Carter so he could send supplies from Fort Bridger, Wyoming to Fort Thornburg, northwest of Vernal, Utah. It was not until the early twentieth century that a second route was built through the Uintas, known as the Vernal-Manila Wagon Road. Then in 1981, State Route 44 and other state roads were combined to create the federal highway system’s U.S. Highway 191.

The US Highway 191 realignment project was completed in 2025 and involved coordinated efforts between the Utah Department of Transportation, Jones & DeMille Engineering, and the J.R. Simplot Company. Following multiple regulatory reviews and addressing feedback from the Department of Oil, Gas and Mining, Simplot received approval to mine the area on July 7, 2024. This amendment to the mine plan is expected to add over four years of ore production based on current rates.

The realignment project exemplifies Simplot’s dedication to the communities in which it operates and aligns with the Company’s Mission of Bringing Earth’s Resources to Life.