FARR WEST, Utah — Drivers in Farr West are worried about the safety of an intersection after two crashes in the same spot last week.
"I think it’s the speed as well as the curve, I think people coming around the ‘S’ curve, they get going too fast and just either making a right turn or left turn here or going straight becomes difficult,” said Ariel Martinez.
She’s a mom worried about the safety of the 2700 N 2575 W intersection in Farr West.
"I feel like there should either be a four-way stop or some kind of roundabout, and I feel like that would help things flow better, and less accidents would happen,” she said.
She said she doesn’t want any other family to go through what happened — or could have happened — Saturday night.
"When I pulled up to the accident scene, it was a parent's worst nightmare,” Martinez said.
Her daughters were in a rollover crash there, but she said they were okay. Martinez said this was the second night in a row that a similar crash had happened in the same spot.
2700 North is a state road, so UDOT said they are looking into what can be done to make it safer, especially with all the growth in the area.
"We're consistently evaluating our transportation system to make sure it's as safe as it can be,” said John Gleason with UDOT. “And if there are any enhancements that need to go in, traffic signals, that we are looking into that to see where it makes sense and if it will have a big impact on safety.”
Jason Anderson is on the city council and spearheads traffic safety in the city. He said the 2700 North and I-15 interchange, where people have been vocal about wanting to see change, is number 4 on UDOT’s priority list. So that could help all along the road.
"We are on their radar and that’s a good thing,” Anderson said.
Farr West Mayor, David Bolos, shared in a statement with FOX13 News that the crashes were “concerning and unfortunately continue to highlight the growing transportation and safety challenges our community is facing.”
Bolos also reiterated that UDOT is looking into the 2700 North area.
“That recognition validates the growing concerns our residents and local leaders have expressed regarding traffic congestion, safety, and the increasing transportation demands being placed on this corridor as development continues throughout the area,” the statement read.
However, under the current timeline, major improvements are not anticipated to begin until approximately 2032.
Given the rapid pace of growth occurring in this area, including the recent announcement and upcoming groundbreaking of the Target shopping center near 2700 North and the freeway interchange, we are collaboratively urging UDOT and the Utah Transportation Commission to seriously consider accelerating that timeline if at all possible.
"Our community cannot afford to wait another six or seven years while traffic volumes continue to increase, and safety concerns continue to grow. We are committed to continuing these discussions, advocating for our residents, and working closely with our state transportation partners to identify both short-term and long-term solutions that improve safety and mobility for everyone traveling through this corridor,” Mayor Bolos said in his statement.
The city is making improvements where it can. They installed a new 4-way stop sign a little way down to help manage traffic. But ultimately, it's up to drivers, too.
“With all the best engineering in the world, drivers still have to make good choices and that matters,” Anderson said.
People hope change is on the way. "We come together as a community, we do the updates that need to be done, so this doesn’t happen to another family,” Martinez said.
