SUGAR HOUSE, Utah — One of the final construction projects tied to Salt Lake City’s 2018 ‘Funding our Future’ bond kicked off Thursday.
Construction crews are set to start an overhaul of 2100 South in Sugar House, from 700 East to 1300 East, set to be complete by 2025.
“2100 South project is a transformative project where we focus on not only railway reconstruction but also addressing all needs of travel for transit, vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists,” said City Engineer for Salt Lake City Mark Stephens.
Stephens said the existing four-lane section will decrease to a three-lane section between 900 East and 1100 East and then will open back up to a four-lane section between 1100 East and 1300 East.
There will also be medians and limited left turn lanes.
“And what that will accomplish is reducing the number of serious accidents that occur from these left-hand turn lanes and limiting them to where we can better provide and more safely,” said Stephens.
The process has been painful for local business owners like Bob Campbell, Owner of All About Coins, who said adding another project to the mix isn’t going to help with the congestion.
“It’s been a disaster from day one. Not just me but all our businesses. There's 10 businesses that have already gone out of business or they moved from this,” said Campbell.
Campbell said he and others in the Sugar House Business Alliance are suing the city over the newest project specifically.
“You know, they plan to put a median up here that you can't even make left-hand turns into businesses,” said Campbell, “You know, they're reducing or restricting the roads with the lanes here. Any time you put the word restriction in roads, it's never good for businesses.”
Max Bartow, who lives in the area, said he is uncertain about what the new streets in the heart of Sugar House may bring to the area.
“I think that’d be nice but it’s still loud it’s annoying with all the trucks and stuff,” said Bartow, “So I don’t know if it’s worth it but we’ll see.”
Stephens said the project is expected to wrap up by 2025.
