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SALT LAKE CITY — It shouldn't take anyone long to understand why 2100 South is one of the next Salt Lake streets in line for a makeover.
Anyone who has ventured through the center of Sugar House's business district has likely experienced the crumbling roadway, says Jon Larsen, Salt Lake City's transportation director.
"The pavement is in terrible condition," he said. "It's falling apart, particularly with that intersection at 1100 East."
However, making repairs to the road isn't as easy as simply repaving the current roadway. Sugar House, especially by 2100 South, brings in too many cars, bicyclists and pedestrians to keep the road in its existing configuration. It needs a complete overhaul to get traffic going for anyone who uses it, no matter their mode of transportation, Larsen says.
That overhaul is almost here. The city released a short video last week outlining the final concept it has in mind for 2100 South, from 700 East and 1300 East. The design for the project, set to begin in spring 2024, calls for shorter crosswalks, a new multi-use pathway, raised medians and improved lanes for left-hand turns.
It's the result of feedback collected from residents and business owners, including from a survey the city sent out last year. The project is in line to begin in the spring of 2024 and has a hard deadline to be completed by the end of 2025, as the city nears the end of a bond meant to improve several streets.
Reimagining 2100 South
2100 South at the heart of Sugar House can get pretty busy, as it's one of the few east-west route options in the southern part of the city and it's where many new apartment projects have gone online over the past decade. It's estimated that about 25,000 to 30,000 motor vehicles pass through the road any given day, which is higher than some sections of the larger State Street, Larsen explains.
He adds that there have been a "disproportionate number" of left-turn crashes in the area just from all the cars that are trying to weave in and out of the businesses in that section of the neighborhood. The city's transportation department also estimates that about 1 million people use the sidewalks in the area, making it one of the highest-trafficked areas for pedestrians.
That's why the design aims to incorporate everyone who uses the road.
"It's a big, important project," Larsen said.
But coming up with a new design for 2100 South wasn't easy. First, many buildings are close to the roadway, so Salt Lake City can't really expand the roadway without knocking those down. It also can't strip sidewalks away because it's a popular area for pedestrians and cyclists, and alternative transportation helps reduce the number of cars and trucks on the road.
It's difficult to work on the road because there aren't many street options for diverting traffic in the middle of construction, too. All of these factors are why Larsen jokes that 2100 South may not be the most complex street his team has helped redesign over the past few years, but it could be the most controversial.
The city's transportation department ultimately came up with a design that aims to increase access for bikers and pedestrians, though project officials note that changes are expected to maintain the current motor vehicle capacity along 2100 South. Larsen said the new medians should help reduce the number of left-hand turn crashes, as drivers turn in and out of businesses in the area.
"As you build out a network to help make walking, biking and transit truly viable modes that can compete with driving, (this project) is a really important part of that east-west connectivity," he said. "The reality is that as — particularly Sugar House and downtown Salt Lake — we continue to grow vertically, we simply can't keep accommodating cars at the level we have historically. It's just not very space-efficient."
Redesigning the city's streets
The new design for 2100 South in Sugar House was released a few weeks after the city began work to redesign Highland Drive between 2100 South and I-80 in the area. The city also plans to work on the street north of 2100 South, which is 1100 East from 2100 South to Logan Avenue, in 2024.
The 2100 South project is the "last major project" from the city's Funding Our Future bond approved by voters in 2018, according to Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall. The bond set aside funding for street projects all over the city, not just in Sugar House. The city is expected to complete its redesign of 300 West (900 South to 2100 South) this summer, while also continuing work on 200 South (400 West to 900 East) and 900 South (900 West to Lincoln Street).
Per the city's transportation department, other smaller bond-related projects happening this year include fixes to:
- 100 South (500 West to 600 West)
- 1000 East (Atkin Avenue to 2700 South)
- 1700 East (1300 South to Sherman Avenue)
- Benchmark Circle (Benchmark Drive to cul-de-sac end)
- Benchmark Drive (Lakeline Drive to terminus)
- Dallin Street (Country Club Drive to Stringham Avenue)
- Gregson Avenue (900 East to Lincoln Street)
- Kristianna Circle (Virginia Street to cul-de-sac end)
- Lincoln Street (Elm Avenue to 2100 South)
- Meadow Lane (Green Street to 700 East)
- University Street (600 South to 700 South)
A few other small projects are likely to begin in 2024.
"I've heard the same jokes as you about road construction season in Utah, but these investments will fund real improvements," Mendenhall said, as she unveiled her 2024 fiscal year budget proposal last week. "They'll make our residents' lives better and they're worth it."
Racing to finish the projects
Despite challenges in the bond market this year, the city is in a good spot when it comes to financing road projects.
Larsen explained that the city's financing department decided to accelerate its bond issuing by a year, moving the project timelines, which he said will "save the city quite a bit" when it comes to interest payments. That also means there's a deadline to complete all of the bond-related projects near the end of 2025.
"I know it seems far away for some people, but for us, that's like tomorrow," he said with a nervous chuckle. "We're pushing hard to get all that lined up."
Larsen adds that some of the issues plaguing road construction are beginning to clear up, though. COVID-19 outbreaks, labor shortages and supply chain issues ultimately delayed the 300 West project, which started in 2021 and was supposed to be done already. It's very similar to problems the Utah Department of Transportation also reported having with its road projects over the past few years.
The 900 South and 200 West projects, both of which started last year, are moving along on schedule. The hope is that will continue as the 2100 South project and other small projects begin.
