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Date: September 14, 2009
Contact: Ron Terry, 435-772-0160

Superintendent Jock Whitworth has announced that the Canyon Overlook parking lot on the east side of the Zion Tunnel in Zion National Park will reopen on Monday, September 14.  The parking area has been closed to evaluate the effects the closure would have in mitigating or eliminating serious safety concerns for visitors and staff at this congested area. 

To further analyze how to best mitigate or eliminate safety concerns, a second alternative will be tested starting in mid-September and continuing through October.  This alternative will involve keeping the parking lot open but limiting it to one way in and one way out.  Only vehicles traveling east would be able to enter the parking area and vehicles exiting the parking area would only be able to make a right turn to the east. Westbound traffic will need to park in the parking lot on the right just before the Canyon Overlook trailhead.

The results of this alternative will allow the National Park Service to better evaluate and determine the long term actions needed to improve traffic patterns and visitor and employee safety at the site.