This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

Expected rain and snow — combined with more drivers on the road thanks to cheap gasoline — could complicate Christmastime travel.

At least drivers won't have to contend with many highway construction projects.

—

Highways • "All of our major projects are wrapped up for the year, with the exception of the reconstruction project at the Point of the Mountain" on Interstate 15, said John Gleason, spokesman for the Utah Department of Transportation.

Five lanes in each direction there will be open during morning and evening commutes, he said, but construction will limit lanes overnight.

Also, he warned that ongoing construction by Arizona on I-15 in the Virgin River Gorge between St. George and Mesquite, Nev., could reduce traffic to one lane there at times. "If you are headed to Las Vegas or California, that could be an issue," he said.

"This week, typically it takes longer to reach your destination because there are so many people out on the roads. If you add in weather, that's going to slow things up a bit," Gleason said.

"There are a number of storms lined up with both rain and snow," he said. "Even if it is rain, that will create extremely slick conditions. And with gas prices dropping below $2 a gallon, there's a lot of additional traffic."

The AAA travel services company estimates that 7.4 million residents in the Mountain West will travel more than 50 miles from home this week, up by 1 percent from last year largely because of cheap gasoline.

"So we're asking everybody to allow yourself some extra travel time. And it's a great time of year to be a courteous driver, and a little patience will go a long way," Gleason said.

Another potential danger to watch for on the roads is more distracted driving than usual this time of year.

That's "because so many people are trying to wrap up work responsibilities and Christmas shopping, so there are a lot of things on people's minds. So 100 percent of their focus isn't always on driving," he said. "People should always focus 100 percent on driving when they are behind the wheel."

—

Airport • The Salt Lake City International Airport is expecting large holiday crowds — but terminal reconstruction there is not blocking any roads or causing any problems with parking, said airport spokeswoman Bianca Shreeve.

"Wednesday is expected to be our busiest day," although big crowds are expected all week through Christmas Eve — before travel slows on Christmas Day, she said.

"We always like to advise people to arrive two hours in advance of their flight to give themselves plenty of time to park and get through security," she said.

The airport will have live bands playing Christmas music at some of the busiest times to help people relax and enjoy the season — which could provide extra incentive to arrive early to help avoid stress.

Shreeve reminds air travelers that the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) urges people not to wrap gifts, in case they need extra screening.

Passengers can also speed their arrival process by printing boarding passes in advance if they are not checking baggage, and by checking the TSA website about what is allowed in carry-on luggage.

—

Public transit • The Utah Transit Authority will offer only ski bus service and Park City bus service on Christmas and New Year's Day — with no regular bus, TRAX or FrontRunner service.

Regular bus and rail service will be provided on Christmas Eve.

UTA will offer extra service on New Year's Eve to help riders attend holiday celebrations.

TRAX will run every 15 minutes and extend service until after festivities have ended. The S-Line will run until about 2 a.m., and FrontRunner will provide regular service with one additional northbound and southbound late-night trip to accommodate riders traveling home from New Year's Eve events.

Specific schedules are available online at rideuta.com.

Looking ahead, UTA said this week that it plans to increase holiday service in 2016 on Presidents Day, Pioneer Day (observed) and Black Friday.

This year, UTA had also added service on Memorial Day, Independence Day and Labor Day. It says it has added holiday service as its sales-tax revenues have grown amid economic recovery, and as its fuel costs have dropped recently.