Cedar City business owners and a city council member are expressing concerns over a planned Utah Department of Transportation median project on Royal Hunte Drive. The city and the Utah Department of Transportation are attempting to reach an agreement concerning plans for a new median on the roadway.
Businesses located on both sides of Royal Hunte Drive have raised concerns that the addition of a median could make customer access more difficult. Eric Jenkins, who owns a gas station near the road, voiced specific worries regarding receiving deliveries and the potential loss of customers. Jenkins stated that the large cement median could make it inconvenient to access his convenience store and could eliminate business from traffic coming off the nearby lay hill.
The Utah Department of Transportation stated that the project addresses a safety issue, noting that it can be difficult to see around other vehicles turning across traffic in the area. Spokesperson Kevin Kitchen expressed the belief that the median will enhance safety by providing storage space for left turns, preventing more crashes, and channeling pedestrians to the right place. Kitchen stated that the process has been standard and that the city has been aware of the project and environmental studies for a couple of years.
City Council member Robert Cox noted that altering the design at this stage could cause delays. Cox mentioned that if the design were moved back five or ten feet to make turns more accessible for large tankers with pups, the department would have to redo the environmental study. Cox suggested that adjustments might need to wait until the median project is finished.
The planned median is part of a years-long, $132 million replacement interchange project located in the south end of Cedar City. The Utah Department of Transportation stated that the project is currently in the bidding phase and plans to proceed with construction in the spring.
Individuals who oppose the plans highlighted a lack of information, inconsistent communication, and concerns regarding the impact on local businesses.
