By KRISTEN SONNE
Traffic and pedestrian accidents occur every day, especially when a highway treated like a freeway runs through an urban area.
Residents and a resident's organization in West Valley have taken the initiative to combat this problem.
Communities Hoping to Avoid Death is one organization trying to fund a $500,000 overpass on Bangerter Highway at 3100 South in West Valley City. This will make crossing easier and safer for pedestrians, especially children.
CHAD spokeswoman Abigail Hansen said the organization was formed in response to the death of Chad Riding, a 15-year-old sophomore at Granger High School. Riding was rollerblading to meet a friend to work on a scouting activity when he was killed in a hit-and-run accident Jan. 7.
Hansen said she wanted the overpass because of the highway's danger before Riding's death. 'I was with a group of residents who approached the Utah Department of Transportation in 1990 to get a pedestrian overpass, but we did not meet the criteria,' Hansen said.
The Bangerter Highway was completed in 1992.
'I think that the residents feel it is very dangerous because motorists are exceeding the speed limit,' said Ted Nguyen, West Valley City communications manager. 'We have a major highway on a city urban street with a highway feel. When these two mix, it often results in tragedy.'
Nguyen said motorists usually exceed the 50 miles per hour speed limit and drive 70 or 80.
Because of these concerns, CHAD is contacting various organizations and companies to receive funds for the project, Hansen said.
West Valley City allocated $100,000 last spring for the building of the skywalk on Bangerter at 3100 South, Nguyen said. He said the money was budgeted from a fund to enhance transportation needs.
'Any safety concerns are a high priority,' Nguyen said. 'The residents of West Valley have shown to the state that this is a high priority.'
Funds for the construction of the overpass will also come from the Utah Department of Transportation Commission, said Jim McMinimee, Region 2 director at UDOT.
'West Valley met with the transportation commission, the body that programs the funds,' McMinimee said. 'It was discussed and funds will be transferred that were already allocated to West Valley. The commission was the last place for the them to turn. We are glad we could transfer some money there as part of a solution to the problem.'
McMinimee said the funds from UDOT are coming from funds that were already allocated to West Valley for the enhancement of Decker Lake. The enhancement of Decker Lake has already begun, but McMinimee said the work has stopped and West Valley is trying to figure out how much allocated money was spent on the project.
Nguyen said the city will get $250,000 from the UDOT allocated funds from Decker Lake.
Last week, the West Valley City Council unanimously voted to allocate the funds from the lake project to the 3100 South overpass project.
'In reality the state has not given us any money, because the transportation funds were from the federal government,' Hansen said. 'The city applied the enhancement money for safety instead.'
For the state to allocate money for the building of the skywalk, McMinimee said it would have to come through a bill in the state legislature.
Hansen said there is a bill that just passed the Utah Senate that would give funds for the building of the overpass.
Senate Bill 145, sponsored by Millie Peterson, D-West Valley City, would give $2.5 million for the building of five overpasses on Bangerter Highway. If the bill passes the House without amendments, 3100, 3500, 4100, 4700 and 5400 South on Bangerter would receive overpasses.
The Utah Grizzlies will also contribute funds for the overpass.
Jean-Marc Plant, director of public and media relations for the Utah Grizzlies, said part of the ticket sales from the March 19 game will be donated to CHAD.