Traffic backed up on
the Main Street and State Street intersection is pictured on Thursday,
Feb. 18, 2016 in Lehi. The city of Lehi is holding an open house for
residents to submit input in a new development project in the area.
DOMINIC VALENTE, Daily Herald
The Utah Department of Transportation
has stirred up a hornet’s nest with its proposed upgrades to Lehi’s
Main Street east of I-15.
“This is going to obliterate this area right here. It’s going to devastate the businesses and the property values,” said Richard Mendenhall, WPI president and investor in The Meadows Lehi extension.
Businessmen turned out Thursday evening to let UDOT know they weren’t happy with plans to kill a westbound left turn entry on the stub that remains of State Route 73 in east Lehi.
Hardly more than a quarter of a mile, that stretch of five-lane corridor connects Lehi downtown with State Street and a commercial center.
Engineers, planners, UDOT staff were at the open house to answer questions and to listen to concerns. UDOT was taking written comments and will look at the input to see if any adjustments can be made.
The current proposed plan is to install a traffic light at 1200 East St., a road recently reconnected to State Street to provide ingress and egress to a new commercial center under construction. Additionally, a median would be built on Main St. to block U-turn traffic and left turns except at 1200 East for westbound motorists who want to access businesses on the south such as Texas Roadhouse, Culver’s, One Man Band and the Metal Mart.
“I think it will be a negative impact just because it limits access to our restaurant,” said Spencer Young, Lehi and Orem Culver’s representative.
“All’s I’m asking is for a left turn lane into 1350 East St.,” he said. “I don’t care if they have a median for the rest of the street. We need a break there.”
According to UDOT spokesperson Eileen Barron, the intersection for the traffic lights at 1200 East was chosen as the safest intersection.
“We’re planning to make some extensive improvements to Lehi Main Street at its intersections, and that is by adding an additional three lanes and improving traffic movements and improving safety,” Barron said.
“This is going to obliterate this area right here. It’s going to devastate the businesses and the property values,” said Richard Mendenhall, WPI president and investor in The Meadows Lehi extension.
Businessmen turned out Thursday evening to let UDOT know they weren’t happy with plans to kill a westbound left turn entry on the stub that remains of State Route 73 in east Lehi.
Hardly more than a quarter of a mile, that stretch of five-lane corridor connects Lehi downtown with State Street and a commercial center.
Engineers, planners, UDOT staff were at the open house to answer questions and to listen to concerns. UDOT was taking written comments and will look at the input to see if any adjustments can be made.
The current proposed plan is to install a traffic light at 1200 East St., a road recently reconnected to State Street to provide ingress and egress to a new commercial center under construction. Additionally, a median would be built on Main St. to block U-turn traffic and left turns except at 1200 East for westbound motorists who want to access businesses on the south such as Texas Roadhouse, Culver’s, One Man Band and the Metal Mart.
“I think it will be a negative impact just because it limits access to our restaurant,” said Spencer Young, Lehi and Orem Culver’s representative.
“All’s I’m asking is for a left turn lane into 1350 East St.,” he said. “I don’t care if they have a median for the rest of the street. We need a break there.”
According to UDOT spokesperson Eileen Barron, the intersection for the traffic lights at 1200 East was chosen as the safest intersection.
“We’re planning to make some extensive improvements to Lehi Main Street at its intersections, and that is by adding an additional three lanes and improving traffic movements and improving safety,” Barron said.
The 1350 East intersection has had at least four times as many fender benders and T-bones as the five at 1200 East during the past year. Traffic would also become congested if a light was placed at 1350 East because of its close proximity to State St.
Asking Lehi engineer Lorin Powell about whether or not alternative routes were available on land behind the businesses from 1200 East to 1350 East, he said the master transportation plan doesn’t have alternatives chosen yet.
“I think some of that is up to the city and up to the developers in terms of internal circulation,” Barron said.
“Other options need to be proposed,” said Kevin O’Brien, Which Wich Superior Sandwiches owner.
“[The] !350 East St. needs an access point for those headed westbound in addition to the ability to get to The Meadows extension,” O’Brien said.
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