A collision involving a 15-year-old Skyridge High School student on Sept. 9 has intensified local demands for a pedestrian bridge at the intersection of SR-92 and Center Street. The accident, which resulted in a fractured wrist for the teen, has brought renewed attention to safety concerns at the busy junction used by students from Skyridge High School and Viewpoint Middle School.
Eyewitness Describes Collision
The accident occurred when the student, whose name has not been released, was riding an e-bike through the crosswalk when a truck turning right struck him. Tiffany Barker, a Lehi resident living near the intersection, witnessed the event and described the immediate aftermath. Barker, who was the third person on the scene, said the boy was rolling on the ground in pain until paramedics arrived.
High Traffic Student Area
Barker noted that the student was following all safety protocols at the time of the collision. "He was doing everything right, and a big truck turning right didn't see him start to cross and hit him," Barker said, according to reporting by the Lehi Free Press and the Alpine-Highland-Lehi Tribune. The intersection is a high-traffic area for students, including ninth graders who must cross the highway during the school day to attend specialized classes at the high school.
UDOT Responds to Concerns
The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has confirmed it is aware of the safety concerns and the recent incident. John Gleason, UDOT's director of public relations, stated that the agency is working to develop solutions to ensure safety, noting that recent changes to school boundaries in the area have increased the agency's focus on the intersection.
Project Cost and Priority
Boyde Humpherys, UDOT's region three deputy director, estimated the cost of a pedestrian bridge at approximately $8 million to $9 million. He stated that UDOT is working through the process as quickly as possible and is aware of the funding Lehi has already secured. Currently, UDOT uses data from various sources and local committees to prioritize projects, and a pedestrian bridge across SR-92 is currently ranked among the agency's top three priorities.
Longstanding Safety Concerns
The Lehi City Council has been monitoring the intersection for an extended period. Council member Rachel Freeman stated that she has been worried about the intersection for a long time and noted that city engineers had anticipated the intersection would become busy as the area grew. Freeman, who travels through the intersection daily, identified existing blind spots and expressed a desire to prevent future tragedies.
Years of Resident Advocacy
The project has appeared on the Lehi City Council's work session agenda as early as March 9, months before the collision. Residents have expressed concerns about the area for years, with complaints appearing on the city's Engage Lehi page as far back as 2019. Local residents have also circulated several petitions to demand action, though specific details regarding organizers or signature counts have not been released.
Funding and Jurisdiction
Lehi City has already secured approximately half of the required funding for the bridge, but the municipality is waiting for UDOT to commit the remaining portion. Because SR-92 is a state road under UDOT's jurisdiction, the city cannot build the bridge independently.
