By JUSTIN WHITE
Utah businesses see the I-15 reconstruction as the biggest obstacle to the local economy, but some in Utah County see it as a benefit, according to a new study.
The survey, conducted by Merit Research Services of Orem, showed 20 percent of CEOs, presidents and owners of companies in Utah see the construction as the biggest obstacle to the state's economy.
Merit interviewed 386 members of the Utah Business Climate Panel, put together by Merit to gauge the opinions of owners of Utah businesses. The poll has a margin of error of five percent and a 95 percent confidence level, according to Stephanie Hirtle, director of Marketing Communication at Merit.
But Todd Parker, Public Relations director for the Provo/Orem Chamber of Commerce, said not all Utah County Businesses will suffer. It's a boon for Utah County retailers, he said, because people who normally go to the Salt Lake Valley will be discouraged and will keep their business in Utah County.
Retailers here will be able to 'gain a market share that they'd lost to the Salt Lake Valley,' Parker said.
Officials at the University Mall in Orem agreed with Parker's observation. 'Speaking for the mall, it's something that we don't despise,' said Tim Lott, marketing director at the mall.
The mall expects Utah County shoppers who normally don't mind the drive to Salt Lake malls will find the University Mall more convenient, and Southern Utah residents who normally don't mind the extra 45 minutes to the Salt Lake Valley will only come as far as Utah County, Lott said.
But some important sectors of Utah County businesses will be hurt by the reconstruction. High technology businesses, manufacturers, service companies and others who rely on the transportation infrastructure will have to spend more money to keep up their present levels of production, Parker said.
About 10 percent of Novel's employees live in Salt Lake and will be affected by the reconstruction, said Glade Nelson, director of Human Resources at Novel. The company expects flexible work schedules and telecommuting for some of its employees will alleviate the problem, he said.
One of the company's main worries is extra stress on its employees and the impact could have on productivity, but 'by utilizing programs that help our employees reduce stress caused by the change to the daily commute, we believe that the impact can be minimized,' Nelson said.
Another Utah County company that will be affected by the road work is Geneva Rock. They plan to minimize effects by building storage silos in Salt Lake County and shipping materials there during low traffic hours at night, said Al Schellenberg, vice president of Geneva Rock. Schellenberg feels the construction will be good in the long run for Utah business because it will attract business to the state when it is done.
The University Mall will also experience some difficulty with employees and owners who commute from Salt Lake, but the overall effect will be good for business, Lott said.