Utah Department of Transportation-hired crews have started a major repaving project on a heavily traveled section of state highway as it approaches Park City, work that is expected to last into the fall.

The work is ongoing along S.R. 248 from Quinn's Junction to Kamas. The project started in May and is expected to be finished in September. Most of the work is currently occurring between the Rail Trail and Deer Mountain Boulevard.

John Gleason, a public information officer for the Department of Transportation, said a similar repaving was most recently completed up to eight years ago. The work will extend the lifespan of the road.

A repaving involves crews removing the top layer of the road and then putting down new asphalt. The road will also be restriped as part of the project. Gleason said there will be no operational changes to the state highway as a result of the work.

Traffic had been shifted to the westbound lanes as the crews continued the work but are scheduled to be moved to the eastbound lanes on Saturday morning. One lane of traffic will remain open in each direction at all times.

"This is an area that obviously sees extreme weather every year," Gleason said about the need for the repaving.

Gleason said the stretch of S.R. 248 is popular with bicyclists, but the Department of Transportation wants bicyclists to use an alternate route during the work for safety purposes.

S.R. 248, which is signed Kearns Boulevard inside Park City, is one of the two entryways and can experience rush-hour backups that reach from the Park Avenue intersection toward Quinn's Junction.

It is a popular route into and out of Park City from parts of the Snyderville Basin, the East Side of Summit County and Wasatch County. It also is a primary route from the Park City area to recreation spots like the Uinta Mountains and the Jordanelle Reservoir.

Officials in Park City and in the state government have for years contemplated long-range operational plans for S.R. 248 like high-occupancy-vehicle lanes, reversible lanes and bus routes.