Reader comments
Does traffic jam economy?

There is a lot of truth to this congestion problem but forget downtown SLC, its a dead city for consumers. Easing congestion and better traffic flow would better serve the suburban areas of Utah.

One thing that would serve cities is that established locations for business and stop spreading so many small shopping centers that become blighted areas once business moves out. Installing a single traffic light can have a major affect on consumers using an area to shop.

Instead of controlling and slowing down traffic, improve traffic flow with fewer interruptions. Most of the time in Utah politics, a new system is designed for better flow of traffic but cost always interferes and they opt for cutting the designs to save money. This is true of freeway designs and road routes submitted by engineers but politics always cuts out the best part of a design. Example is the intersection at Bangerter and 3500 south, designed for best flow but cuts and changes have made it a nightmare intersection. So we end up with a design that has defeated the intent in the first place, and wasted all the money to build it.

And if I made more money and paid less taxes ...I would make more money and pay less taxes.

The "super street" concept has been around for years, and would help the Wasatch Front tremendously. The idea is to time the lights so that a car going the speed limit won't have to stop for many miles. The direction can be changed morning versus evening.

Doing this for State Street, 7th East, 13th East, etc. would cut congestion, cut air pollution, ease nerves, and reduce the need for more highways.

This is a good point and, of course, we'd be better off with less traffic. I have two questions, though: 1) How much would it cost to reduce congestion? (likely much more than we'd save), and 2) Is money everything?

To "Thinkin' Man | 9:07 a.m." an even better concept is to either plan to leave home early enough to get places on time during rush hour.

Another good idea is to check the handy UDOT web site first thing in the morning to make sure that there are not any road closures or traffic delays. Then, people can plan to take an alternate route.

why does udot do so many jobs so close together. they are putting in a new on ramp at 11400 south and widening the freeway by 9000 also. and doing work on the south part of redwood road past bangeter. and widenig and putting threw 11400 from bangeter to the 1-15. We dont want to go out of our own town on the weekends because we drive threw them in rush hour to get to work. the new on ramp will make the freeway always backed up whenit is done because it is to close to the other ramps. gridlock is what we have every moring and afternoon. the morning news never show the roads south of 10600 because it is a so bad every day.

It would be interesting to know what effect, if any, having Trax in SLC has had in reducing traffic congestion. I was against light rail, but it apparently has been quite popular, and now it and other commuter trains are being expanded. This article didn't mention any study of this. It would be useful to know if it has had any positive effect at all.