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Show Belt route is stealing business, say Park Ave. merchants '. V I o m cm a mm m S n --z;- 1 -?"S5rvr i ta by Christopher Smart Park Avenue merchants are claiming that the Utah Department Depart-ment of Transportation (UDOT) is diverting business away from them because a recently installed sign directs all Main Street and Deer Valley traffic to the new belt route, bypassing their shopping district. Calling themselves the Middle Park Avenue Business Association, Associa-tion, 10 businesses have sent a plea for help to Mayor Jack Green. According to their letter, the rerouting of traffic is "extremely damaging" to business. busi-ness. The group called for immediate action using whatever steps are necessary to get non-resident traffic moving up Park Avenue again. "With all traffic routed over the new route 224. ...we are systemically denied access to an important source of business and revenue," the letter said. Park Avenue merchant Charles Latterner, representing the Old Town Gallery, maintains that since the arrival of the sign' only "locals" drive up the road where his shop is located. Routing all Main Street traffic up the belt route is "nonsense," he added. Whether or not UDOT is responsible for the sign, located near the intersection of Empire AvenueDeer Valley Road and Park Avenue, Latterner maintains the city should take the responsibility responsi-bility to protect the businesses. "I don't want the city to pass the buck. . .If the city wants to make an effort they can bring their weight to bear (on the UDOT)." The new stop light itself has not affected business adversely, Latterner Lat-terner explained. "We don't like the traffic jams. But the sign has a serious impact." Bill Lapin, owner of the Cattle Company restaurant, agrees with Latterner's assessment of the new traffic pattern. "It's going to put us out of business," he said. The lack of traffic on Park Avenue is evident, Lapin noted, even when Main Street is crowded. During the recent Thanksgiving holiday many tourists tour-ists to Main Street on the belt route, bypassing his restaurant, he said. Upon hearing of the complaint from the Park Avenue association of businesses, City Manager Arlene Loble said she would take the matter up with UDOT officials. The city council has scheduled a meeting with UDOT today, Nov. 29. 1 "We think they (UDOT) need to improve the signage," Loble f said referring to a number of directional and street signs related to the belt route. She added that the city will urge UDOT officials to route non-con- i struction traffic up Park Avenue to Main Street. in ii in mi i Sign directs Main Street traffic off Park Avenue onto belt route. I |