SYRACUSE, Utah — Just like many Utah cities, Syracuse is growing.
“We love it. We call it our little bubble," shared resident Nicky Atkin. "Although it’s growing, we still call it our little bubble."
Unfortunately, growth often coincides with more traffic. Atkin loves things coming to her city, but roads have also been funneling more people.
Just off Antelope Drive and Doral Drive, the speed limit is 45 miles per hour. The intersection is just down the road from the interstate ramp and construction, so it can get a bit crowded during rush hours.
Atkin wants to see a change at that intersection.
“You see people standing on this corner, and whether it’s a mom with her stroller or kids or adults trying to jog, you can’t get [drivers] to stop. I don’t know if it’s awareness, they can’t see, or the speed of the street," she said.
As cities grow larger, the Utah Department of Transportation shared how important it is for the agency to continually evaluate roads and learn if safety features that weren’t warranted several years ago will now make sense.
“It’s important that people feel safe on our roads,” said UDOT spokesperson John Gleason. "It’s important that if there is a safety concern, that [residents] feel like they can reach out to us. We want to hear about it. If there’s more studies that we need to take a look at regarding a certain stretch or intersection, we’ll definitely do that.”
In the past, Atkin claimed her son stood at the intersection for nearly 15 minutes while waiting for a car to stop, allowing him to cross. Although there are signals for the school zone, she said it becomes more of an issue during the summer months.
“It’s very nerve-wracking," she explained. "It makes my heart, that flutter that you get, just knowing that he’s crossing that street, any car could come anywhere. So out of sight, out of mind."
Whether it’s an illuminated sign or flashing signal, Atkin believes any change could help.
Gleason suggests those with an issue should reach out directly to UDOT with an issue or use its Click ’n Fix tool. While he can’t guarantee that something will change, he said they will do their best to look into the issue.
“Anytime your kid is crossing the road, you’re going to be focused on their safety. We’re happy to take a look at it, with all the growth that’s happening in the area,” Gleason said. “If there are additional safety features that make sense…that’s something we will take a look at since this viewer brought it to our attention.”
