§ 24-1-106 — Closing or restricting use; when necessary

(a) The department of transportation may restrict the use
of, or close, any state highway whenever the department
considers the closing or restriction of use necessary:
(i) For the protection of the public;
(ii) For the protection of the highway from damage
during storms or during construction, improvement or maintenance
operations thereon; or
(iii) For a special event or athletic event pursuant
to subsections (b) and (c) of this section.
(b) The department of transportation may authorize the
complete or partial closure of designated portions of any state
highway for the purpose of conducting a special event or
athletic event. The director of the department may use equipment
and personnel as necessary. The closure may be authorized only
if:
(i) A written application for the event is submitted
to the department, containing information the department deems
necessary and the application is approved by the director;
(ii) A county government approves the closure if the
closure would restrict the use of any county road in the
unincorporated area of the county; and
(iii) The closure is implemented in a manner
consistent with the rules and regulations of the department and
will cause the least inconvenience to the driving public
consistent with the requirements of the special event or
athletic event.
(c) If an event calls for closure of a state highway
within an incorporated city or town, for which there is no
readily accessible alternate route, the city or town shall
request department approval for the closure.
(d) For purposes of this section:
(i) "Special event" or "athletic event" means any
event which is held outside the corporate limits of any city or
town on a state highway but cannot comply with all applicable
traffic statutes or ordinances. This shall include, but not be
limited to, parades, fairs, exhibitions, motion picture filming,
bicycle races and foot races. This definition does not include
an event taking place away from a highway which, due to the
number of persons attending the event, creates traffic
congestion on a highway before and after the event; and
(ii) "Partial or complete closure of designated
portions of any state highway" means the closing to traffic of
any roadway, lane or other portion of a state roadway or highway
or any other restriction of the normal use of a highway.