UDOT studying options for widening road from Syracuse to West Haven

CLINTON — It's afternoon rush hour and cars along 2000 West (state Route 108) have backed up one-half mile in each direction. Welcome to the "new" main street in northwestern Davis County and southwestern Weber County.

This busy north-south corridor passes by two Wal-Mart stores — could be three in several more years — two grocery stores and one high school.

Much of the growth in Davis and Weber counties is coming on their west sides and generating increased traffic.

A big problem is the road is only two lanes wide in some places and a driver making a left turn can easily cause a traffic jam.

The Utah Department of Transportation is aware of the congestion on this thoroughfare and has released an environmental impact statement as a prelude to a future widening project.

The road is also known as Midland Drive and 3500 West in Weber County, and has been dubbed "Two-Mile road" among old-timers of Davis County. It passes through five cities — Syracuse, West Point, Clinton, Roy and West Haven.

UDOT wants to widen the entire 9.5-mile corridor from Antelope Drive/"Syracuse Road" in Syracuse to 1900 West (state Route 126) in West Haven.

Possible options range from as few as three lanes to seven. The problems are the impact on yards and homes along the road. Some residents likely will lose all or portions of their front yards, and a few others could lose their homes.

Donald Rundquist of Roy has lived on the road for all his 65 years and said he will lose some of his front yard when the street is widened.

"It's not good, but it's something that's needed," he said.

He admits it is very hard to get out of his driveway and onto the road these days. He recalls the road starting to get busy about 20 years ago, but the past few years have been the worst.

"I recall when it was just a gravel road," he said.

The road is already nearing its maximum volume and truck traffic accounts for 14 percent of it.

A decision on the EIS document is anticipated by next summer.