DRAPER, Utah (ABC 4 News) - On a bend in Traverse Ridge Road as it winds up the mountain to the Suncrest development, construction has reduced the four lane road down to two narrow lanes. In fact, cars coming down the hill don’t even have a narrow lane; they’re driving with one tire in the dirt.
All that is fine in good weather. But now that the weather is turning bad, Suncrest residents are concerned the construction zone could turn deadly. They’re questioning whether this project should still be going on during winter.
“I’m worried about people’s lives,” said Brady Fausett who has lived in Suncrest for two years. “I’m worried about my kids. I’m worried about even driving down this road in the winter time.”
Fausett asked ABC 4 to take action and see what was going on with the construction and when it would be finished.
Here’s what we found:
1) The reason for the ripped up road is not the road itself, but what’s beneath it. A private developer is digging a pedestrian tunnel that goes under Traverse Ridge Road.
2) The project, which began in August, was supposed to be finished by the end of September. David Decker, the head of Draper’s Public Works Department said, “He should have been done a couple weeks ago.”
3) Now the estimated completion date has been pushed back. “He probably has another month’s worth of work,” Decker said. That means the construction zone on Traverse Ridge Road will likely remain until the end of November.
4) The start date for the project was dictated by an agreement between the city and the developer. But Decker admits the city wanted to wait until after summer water usage had peaked. A major water main runs under the road and there were concerns about interruptions of service.
Despite the delays in the project, Decker pledges the city will do everything it can to keep the construction zone safe during winter weather. “If it means more snow plows ... we take them out earlier ... pre-treat the area ... we’ll do whatever needs to happen to make sure it’s safe,” he said.
ABC 4 will continue to monitor the situation and let you know what happens.
