People Asked to Report Trucks Causing Safety Concerns on Red Rock Canyon Road

Save Red Rock, a local nonprofit dedicated to protecting the Red Rock Canyon area, is urging the public to help address growing safety concerns on SR-159 by reporting unauthorized commercial truck activity. Known as Red Rock Canyon Road, the narrow two-lane highway has seen an increase in large truck traffic, raising hazards for cyclists and recreational users.

"If even 1% of the people recreating out here submit what they see, that's going to be huge in determining the size of the problem," said Erik Klausen, a Save Red Rock executive board member and avid cyclist, to Channel 13.

Klausen and other local cyclists have sounded the alarm about unsafe driving, with speeding and poor passing behavior forcing some, like Chris Boice, to avoid the road entirely due to safety fears. SR-159 has a 13-ton weight limit, enacted after the 2005 death of Metro Police Officer Don Albietz. Still, Klausen says signage is inadequate and lacks clear turnarounds for truck drivers who enter the restricted zone.

While trucks are permitted in some areas of SR-159 for mine-related activity, unauthorized vehicles in more congested zones continue to pose risks. Complicating matters are frequent U-turns by sightseers and active wildlife crossings along the scenic route. Construction is scheduled to begin in late spring 2025 on the Legacy Trail, an 18-mile paved path that will run parallel to the roadway for cyclists and pedestrians to improve long-term safety and access.

Klausen emphasized that public reporting is crucial in helping lawmakers understand and address the issue. Save Red Rock hopes that the road can once again become a safe haven for outdoor enthusiasts through community participation and ongoing infrastructure improvements.