Crews from the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) tonight will begin removing accumulated snow from interstate bridges and on and off-ramps throughout the state. In some areas crews will use front-end loaders and dump trucks to haul the snow away, in other areas snowplows will push the snow into nearby open spaces.

Crews will work nightly from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. and will close various lanes, ramps and bridges. This work will likely continue for the next month. Work schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions. Motorists should visit www.commuterlink.utah.gov for specific dates and locations of affected areas.

UDOT advises motorists to reduce speeds and use caution when driving through work zones.

12:44:46 PM    

Whether it is after the holidays or any time of the year, most consumers experience the anguish of having to return store merchandise. The Utah Division of Consumer Protection offers Utah shoppers these valuable tips regarding online and offline store return policies and refunds:

1. Can you get your money back?  Check out the store refund and return policy before you buy. Stores are required to post their return policy where it can be easily seen. And, by all means, hang on to your receipts in case they are needed.
2. Read the fine print.  When shopping online, sometimes key restrictions on a sale are contained in the “fine print” on a Web site. Take the time to click on any hyperlinks leading to warranty or rebate information, additional costs, or other important information you should know about before you buy online.
3. Check delivery dates.  When you place an order, the seller usually tells you when to expect delivery. State and federal law requires sellers to ship items as promised or within 30 days after the order date if no specific date is promised. If the seller can’t ship the goods within the promised time or within the 30 day deadline, the seller must notify you to give you a chance to cancel the order and provide a full refund, if you’ve chosen to cancel.
4. Review warranties.  Many high-tech gadgets and appliances come with warranties. You have the right to review a warranty before you purchase a product. For warranty information online, look for hyperlinks leading to the full warranty or to an address where you can obtain a free copy. Reading the warranty before you buy can help you understand exactly what protection you’ll get should something go wrong later. If a copy of the warranty is available online, print it out when you make your purchase and keep it with your records.
5. Print out a copy of your order.  Just in case there is a problem with the vendor in the future.

For additional information, please visit our Web site at www.dcp.utah.gov or contact the division at 801-530-6601 or 1-800-721-SAFE.

12:04:04 PM    

The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) mobilized its entire snow-removal fleet to keep the state's highways clear of snow and safe for motorists.

The following is a statewide list of snow-removal resources UDOT deployed between Dec. 25-29.

• UDOT crews cleared more than 8.3 million tons of snow from more than 16,253 lane miles on the state highway system.
• The average snow depth statewide was approximately 12 inches. In northern Utah the average depth was 18 inches.
• UDOT applied more than 32,000 tons of salt and 25,840 tons of grit to state highways.
• 616 UDOT employees worked a combined 38,010 hours.
• 537 UDOT snowplows were used during the storm.
• Total snow removal cost is estimated at $3,673,160

7:19:03 AM