South Jordan considers demolishing 10400 South walkway

SOUTH JORDAN — What is the price of the life of one child?

That is the question educators and parents are posing to South Jordan city officials and developers who want to demolish a walkway at 10400 South and 1300 West. The skybridge serves a diminishing number of South Jordan Elementary School students.

City officials and developers say the walkway is an impediment to commercial development. Further, the walkway was created when South Jordan Elementary was on the northwest corner of the site. The school has since moved.

Educators and parents, however, say a few students still use the walkway on their trek to the new South Jordan Elementary, 11205 S. Black Cherry Way (1375 West). The school is on a year-round schedule.

"If even just one student needs to cross safely, that is what is most important to us," said Jordan School District Superintendent Barry Newbold.

"What is the worth of ensuring a student is safe?" Newbold said. "That is worth a lot."

According to the Utah Department of Transportation, about 15 to 20 people use the walkway each day. City officials have counted zero to nine children using the walkway to and from the new school on any given day.

Don Tingey, director of urban renewal and residency for South Jordan, said there is the potential for development on the southwest and northwest corners of the intersection. "The skybridge poses a lot of concerns for potential buyers," Tingey said.

The city would like to demolish the walkway "so these two corners can be developed to their highest and best use, but not at the expense of the safety of children," Tingey said.

He points out that the old school building on the northwest site, which was leased to the private school American Heritage, is now unused and scheduled to be torn down.

Developer Garn McMullin, a member of Dixons LLC, which owns the 1.3-acre southwest parcel by the walkway, has offered to pay for demolition of the skybridge. He said the winding ramp takes up about 100 feet of his property.

"It's very restrictive on the corner, from a commercialization standpoint," he said.

McMullin estimates it would cost $100,000 to $150,000 to tear down the walkway. If it is demolished, as many parts as possible would be used to build a new structure, he said.

Tingey said the walkway was built for about $1 million in 2002.