SANDY – Crews have been working to replace an old natural gas line along a busy street in the Sandy area, and the process has created some challenges for commuters and business owners.
Questar Gas is replacing a natural gas pipeline, and the work is taking place along 1300 East from about 7800 South to 10100 South.
Drivers must detour in portions of the area, which is a headache for some. Alex Wheeler is the owner of Mountain Yoga, a nearby business.
“We’ve been here 11 years, and it seems like they’ve done construction out here almost every summer, but not to this extent,” Wheeler said.
Wheeler said the work has made it difficult for customers to come to class.
“They have been a little bit late to class at times,” he said. “Sometimes they don't have an ability to, you know, turn into the neighborhood.”
Questar Spokesman Dan Shepherd said they are putting in a new, bigger natural gas line.
“We’ve had natural gas in the valley since 1929, so there are some old pipes in the ground,” he said.
Shepherd said the work will pay off in the future.
“We’re investing about 50 to 65 million dollars a year to go through and replace these pipes to make sure we have a good, secure, sound distribution system," he said.
Dan White runs the Euphonic Music School in Sandy, and he also said he’s noticed congestion.
“Getting up here can be a hassle,” he said. “Coming up 94th South and making a left turn into this area, you can be sitting at that light for quite a while.”
White said he is all for progress, but he said it’s his hope that projects are well thought out in advance and coordinated.
“The city, if they’re replacing something, and the gas people are replacing something--to coordinate, get it all done at once rather than rebuilding this intersection, and six months later tearing it up again in order to now put a gas line in,” he said.
Shepherd said they understand the frustration.
“We’re just trying to hit this as hard as we can, get it done as quickly as we can, and do it with as little impact as possible,” he said.
Wheeler said he looks forward to seeing things finished.
“I can’t wait for it to be over,” he said.
There are lane closures in the area of the project as well as sections were left turns are not allowed, which can create traffic congestion in the area. City leaders said the project will be ongoing for several months, and they urged people to plan ahead, slow down and be patient.
