SALT LAKE CITY — Senate Bill 195 has a section that is focused on transit and transportation in Salt Lake City.
Politics
Transportation bill could block SLC from controlling its own streets
“It’s going to halt all of the progress we’re making, you know, towards putting in bike lanes and making streets safer, slowing down cars, feel safe to walk with your kids out here,” said Julian Jurkoic, a board member of Sweet Streets Salt Lake City.
Jurkoic is passionate about the urbanization of Salt Lake City. He said he thinks the bill will pass, but he questions what could happen to the progress that's been made when it comes to safer streets in the city.
Sen. Wayne Harper, the bill's sponsor, said he's discussing the best way to handle traffic, especially downtown.
“Transportation, mobility and safety are really key concerns of mine as well my other legislators on Capitol Hill. How are we best going to do that in a confined, narrow area of the state, being our capital city?” said Harper.
Sweet Streets Salt Lake City, an urbanism advocacy group, expressed their concerns over SB195 slowing momentum down for the city's street safety.
“It’s going to be a real hindrance to the city achieving its goals, vision zero, of going towards the green loop because you’re introducing this jurisdictional complexity where you have another organization looking at every single thing,” said Jurkoic.
Harper explained that plans will continue.
“You’re going to continue to put in stop signs and streetlights, going to continue to maintain roads, continue to maintain and repair sidewalks — all that’s going to go through," he said. "This bill focuses on whether there is something that restricts the traffic circulation in the city. Are you going to take out lanes of traffic? That’s what we’re going ask to have a pause on till we know what the net effect of that is."
Harper said he's working toward getting all of the plans on the table to ensure they proceed in a route that's best for everyone.
“Let’s go through and look at the things that are restricting movement with vehicles. This does not deal with stop signs, does not deal with trails,” he said.
On Monday, state lawmakers and Salt Lake City officials are meeting to further discuss SB195.
“I just want to make sure that we are doing everything right and we’ve got everybody together agreed to how to move forward,” said Harper.
