MURRAY, UT — A crash shut down U.S. 89 in Murray on Thursday evening after a motorcycle appeared to break in two, according to UDOT Traffic. The collision blocked traffic in both directions near State Street and 5900 South, creating a major interruption along one of the area’s busier roads.
UDOT said all southbound lanes were blocked, the southbound exit ramp was closed, and northbound U.S. 89 was also shut down. Drivers were urged to find another route as crews dealt with the scene and traffic backed up around the closure.
UDOT traffic cameras showed the motorcycle split after the collision
Images from a UDOT camera showed the motorcycle broken into two pieces after the crash. The camera view was the clearest immediate indication of how serious the incident appeared to be, even though officials did not release additional details right away about injuries or the number of vehicles involved.
The crash location near 5900 South placed the closure in a heavily traveled corridor through Murray. With both directions affected, the incident disrupted not just through traffic on U.S. 89 but also the nearby ramp system feeding drivers onto and off the route.
Southbound lanes and an exit ramp were closed near State Street
According to UDOT, the southbound closure covered all lanes on U.S. 89, and the exit ramp in the area was also blocked off. Northbound traffic was not able to continue through the same stretch either, meaning the shutdown reached across the roadway rather than limiting delays to one side.
Closures like this can quickly spread congestion to surrounding streets as drivers look for alternate paths around the scene. In this case, State Street near 5900 South became the focal point of the disruption while crews managed the roadway conditions and traffic control.
Officials estimated the roadway would clear later in the evening
UDOT estimated the roads would clear by 6:46 p.m. That projection suggested the closure would last for at least part of the evening commute, depending on how quickly the scene could be cleared and the roadway reopened.
The estimate also gave drivers a rough timeline for when normal traffic flow might resume. Until then, the agency’s traffic information pointed to continued delays for people trying to move through Murray on U.S. 89.
U.S. 89 serves as a major route through the Murray area
U.S. 89, which runs along State Street in this part of Murray, is a key corridor for both local and regional traffic. A closure there can affect commuters, errands, and cross-town travel, especially when both directions are blocked at once.
The crash near 5900 South highlighted how a single incident can quickly slow a large stretch of roadway. Even without full details on the cause, the shutdown showed the immediate impact a motorcycle crash can have on a major urban route.
No immediate details were released on injuries or what caused the crash
Officials did not immediately say how the crash happened or whether anyone was injured. The traffic update focused on the roadway shutdown and the expected reopening time, leaving the broader circumstances of the collision unclear for the moment.
For drivers, the main concern was the closure itself and the uncertainty around when traffic would return to normal. UDOT’s update indicated the response was still active as the evening went on, with reopening dependent on the outcome of the scene cleanup.
