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SALT LAKE CITY — A busy corridor in Salt Lake City's Sugar House neighborhood is about to receive a much-needed makeover, but its transformation is likely going to add more traffic headaches to the city.
Construction on the anticipated upgrade of 1100 East/Highland Drive will begin later this month, starting with a stretch of Highland Drive from Wilmington Avenue to Warnock Avenue, approximately 2200 South to 2470 South. Crews won't just replace the dilapidated roadway but will replace the sewer, water and storm drain lines underneath the road, too.
They will gradually move north, adding in construction up to 2100 South beginning next month before adding in the south 2100 South intersection in the summer.
Traffic on Highland Drive will be reduced to one southbound lane from Wilmington Avenue to 2700 South, while northbound traffic will be diverted to either 900 East or 1300 East between the two roads, once construction begins. This traffic configuration is expected to stay in place through the remainder of 2023, and will eventually expand to 2100 South once construction begins on that section.
Brandon Stoddard, a project manager with Silver Spur Construction, which was brought on to handle construction, said parts of the roadway will begin to open once a specific section is complete. The southern end may open as early as July; however, the entire project timeline could change if there are hiccups in construction.
"We're going to have to be creative because we are working on both sides of the road through this," he said, noting that southbound traffic will eventually shift from the east and west sides of the road as construction continues.
Stoddard added that crews will also try to limit the impact the project has on sidewalks in the area. That said, there may be some pedestrian detours in the area once the roadway is broken up.
That could impact businesses in the area because it's an area that garners heavy foot traffic.
"That's something that we're going to try and minimize as much as we can," he said.
A needed project
The project is one of many funded through the city's Funding Our Future bond that residents passed in 2018. A second phase — 1100 East from 2100 South to Logan Avenue — is slated to begin in 2024.
City transportation engineers circled the street because the road is in rough shape. They alerted business owners in the area about the project in advance, even hosting a meeting with them over the summer to outline the city's plans. That was one of several meetings held with those most likely to be impacted, according to Salt Lake City transportation planner Lynn Jacobs.
But given that the impacts are now set to begin, the city held another open house Thursday to lay out what residents can expect, which drew dozens of residents and business owners.
"We've been working on this project design over the last two years. ... We're excited that we're finally at a point where we're going to build this," Jacobs said. The biggest impact might be on those who typically use Highland Drive in the construction area because of the closures. Jacobs explained this pattern was decided early in the process so that drivers would be used to it in the coming months.
Once complete, the road configuration will look similar to what it is now but with widened sidewalks, a multiuse path and bike lanes. The pathway will help complete the "final gap" along the Parley's Trail system that runs from the east and west sides in Salt Lake City, according to city officials.
The roadway will still feature one lane in each direction, along with a center turn lane. Jacobs said the city switched to that configuration (from two lanes in each direction) a few years ago amid safety concerns, and traffic crashes dropped after the change.
Other project impacts
Residents who attended the meeting also brought up concerns about the impact it will have on noise, business and also parking in the area, especially since construction crews are already taking up parking spots with other projects ongoing.
Businesses are open during construction. We need you to keep visiting and supporting all the places you love throughout construction.
–Erika Wiggins, co-chairwoman of the Sugar House Chamber of Commerce
Officials say it may get noisy, especially during the daytime. Crews are required to provide advanced notice if they are approved to work at times either before 7 a.m. or after 10 p.m. The team will also park at Fairmont Park to try and reduce parking impacts on businesses and residents.
Crews will also provide advanced notice when there are any planned utility disruptions. Anyone who experiences issues along the way is encouraged to call 888-556-0232 or email highlanddr@slcgov.com.
Meanwhile, the city set up a page with a list of resources for impacted businesses. Prior to the event, Erika Wiggins, the co-chairwoman of the Sugar House Chamber of Commerce, said that the organization also created a new "#ShopSugarHouse" campaign, where people can win prizes by shopping in the area and tagging the Sugar House Chamber on social media.
The idea is to have people still support businesses in the area while the construction continues over at least the next two years. The city is also looking at a similar project for 2100 South in the near future, which would extend the construction in the area further.
"Businesses are open during construction," she said, in a statement Wednesday. "We need you to keep visiting and supporting all the places you love throughout construction."
