recent construction and proposed enhancements to the highway have been the focus of a decades-long confrontation between environmentalists and the utah department of transportation. some of the improvements have included reconstructing the bridges, which were in poor shape, straightening the road leading to bear lake, and reconstructing the bear lake overlook, making it much larger and more attractive and adding basic facilities. the highway is the site of many serious and even fatal traffic accidents given the winding nature of the canyon, the drastic elevation changes, and the poor driving conditions encountered during winter weather.