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Show Bj GARY R. BLODGETT NORTH SALT LAKE - A -I- to redesign the mtersec-L mtersec-L of Orchard Drive and nah Highwav 106 where they intersect in North Salt Lake has been presented to the Davis County Planning Commission. Com-mission. THE PROPOSED intersec-i0 intersec-i0 Will create a new road ich will help to alleviate traffic in the area, according t0 Blame Kay, District Two director of the Utah Depart ment of Transportation. The new road, if approved would begin at the intersection intersec-tion and switch back up through the present Gibbons and Reed gravel pit, and connect con-nect with Bountiful Drive to the east. "WE HAVE been working for months on a plan that would alleviate some of the congested traffic in the area," said Director Kay. "The redesigned intersection would alleviate the current problem and allow a more orderly flow of traffic through the area." He termed the traffic problem at the current intersection inter-section as "a real bad situation." situa-tion." UNDER THE DOT proposal, there would be some drastic changes which would include blocking Orchard Drive just before it meets Highway 106 and rerouting re-routing traffic farther east onto the frontage road. Mr. Kay said a cul-de-sac would be developed on the stubbed end of Orchard Drive. HE POINTED out that with the proposed design it would create a way for gravel trucks to turn onto the frontage road at the intersection with Orchard Drive, thus keeping them off the freeway (leading to Beck Street) and out of area neighborhoods. "This would be one way of getting the trucks from the east part of North Salt Lake onto Beck Street without passing through developed neighborhoods," said Mr. Kay. NORTHBOUND traffic (from Salt Lake City) would turn right off Highway 106 onto the new Bountiful Drive Extension, then left onto the re-routed Orchard Drive, and travel north on Orchard Drive as usual. Mr. Kay said traffic lights would probably be placed at the intersection of both Highway High-way 106 and Orchard Drive. "THE MAJOR problem," the transportation director noted, "is the steepness of the foothills in the area between Bountiful -Drive and the intersection." in-tersection." He added that transportation transporta-tion engineers have studied the problem extensively and decided on two route proposals, both of which have grades that rarely exceed 8 percent. In most areas, 12 percent grade is the maximum. MR. KAY said the route being recommended by the DOT is the one that extends farthest from the subdivisions sub-divisions already developed on the hillsides of North Salt Lake. Mr. Kay explained that the idea of the road connecting Bountiful Drive with the freeway was mentioned earlier this year, but more as a route for gravel trucks than for use by all traffic. "BUT BECAUSE of North Salt Lake's objections to that proposal, the DOT has designed a road that will be fully developed for all vehicular use," he said. "This plan also ties in with the work being done on 2600 South and 500 South to facilitate facili-tate traffic flow from Boun-tiful's Boun-tiful's east bench to the interstate inter-state highway system." THE PROPOSED intersection intersec-tion change in North Salt Lake met with "some favor" from the Davis County Planning Plan-ning Commission who agreed that the proposal is "a step in the right direction." The new design will now be shown to other city and county officials involved who will make recommendations and proposed changes. NORTH SALT Lake Mayor Robert Palmquist said: "I don't know if the state's proposal is the best, but it certainly is a start. That intersection in-tersection is real dangerous and if something isn't done soon there is going to be a serious accident involving a loaded gravel truck. "WE, AS a city council, intend in-tend to take a good look at the proposal with some possible suggestions. That intersection needs to be changed and we certainly appreciate all that the State DOT is doing. They can be assured that we will work with them." |
