Daybreak residents petition for pedestrian bridge over ‘deadly’ high-traffic road
SOUTH JORDAN, Utah ( ABC4 ) — A group of residents in South Jordan has gathered together to ask city and state officials for a safer option for pedestrians to cross Mountain View Corridor — a road that the residents call " one of the most deadly roads in Utah ."
South Jordan resident Bennion Gardner is one of the original members of the group Safe Street for South Jordan — and he is no stranger to the dangers of the road.
"I was crossing the road at South Jordan Parkway along Mountain View Corridor, and a car was coming to turn onto the highway, slowed down a little bit, then sped right back up," Gardner told ABC4.com. "Luckily I stopped in time because they just clipped me with their side mirror."
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Gardner said he was not seriously injured during that incident — but it has opened his eyes and is now motivating him to look for a solution that could help his community stay safe while crossing that high-traffic road.
"Just last week, there was a mom with her 4-year-old that were hit," he said. "There was some injuries, unfortunately, but Mountain View is a deadly, dangerous road."
And Gardner is not alone in thinking that.
The newly formed group Safe Street for South Jordan is a collection of South Jordan residents with the goal of building community support for a safe crossing option over Mountain View Corridor.
The group created a petition that they hope will show the city, UDOT, and the surrounding developers how serious of a problem residents believe this is.
"A safe crossing option is not just a matter of convenience; it is a fundamental necessity for our community," the group's website reads. "It would enhance connectivity between neighborhoods, reduce pollution, promote active transportation, and improve the overall quality of life for residents."
Gardner continued on to say Daybreak is known as a walkable community, but that the high-speed road separates the two sides of the neighborhood from one another.
"We're asking the city and UDOT and the developer to work together to build a bridge, to provide a safe crossing for those that are on foot or pedaling," Gardner said.
With the new baseball stadium for the Salt Lake Bees under construction, Safe Streets SOJO said now is the time to get something built before even more vehicle and foot traffic enter the area.
"There's a park right over there, right in the middle, and the stadium is kind of right in the middle of the blocks as well," Gardner said. "So, it seems like a natural place to put a bridge over the middle and provide a nice central crossing."
If you want to learn more about the proposed project, see some mockups, or sign the petition, visit daybreakbridge .com .
"We just need a better option, a safer option for everybody," Gardner said.
