The Utah Department of Transportation has received your request and we will be looking into the issue. Thank you for taking the time to let us know.

Alicia - UDOT Region 2 Traffic Operations assigned this issue to Kelly Jones

I am EXTREMELY concerned about the new configuration for this intersection. Clearly, the evidence shows (skid marks, broken headlight and taillight debris, etc.) that it is not if an accident will happen, it's a matter of when a death will happen. I feel like a sitting duck when waiting to turn north onto Wasatch Blvd. Also, why in the world is the "sleeve" for the turn lane to go northbound so short?? Didn't anyone study the traffic patterns before this re-design? This is a heavily used left turn area. My suggestion (assumption) is that the right turn lane (southbound) should have had a small sleeve and the left turn lane (northbound) should have been the primary lane and a separate turn lane for those wanting to turn left onto Danish Rd. Also... the lettering in the northbound turn lane is useless. One comes upon it so quickly because of the curve in the road and there is so much text that it is barely discernible. And... when traveling south on Wasatch the reflectors on the yellow curbing are useless. They are not facing in the correct direction to caution the sharp turn.

The distance for the northbound traffic coming down from Little Cottonwood Canyon is not sufficient to merge in with the traffic making a left hand (northbound) turn from the stoplight on Wasatch Blvd. The cars coming down from Little Cottonwood are going 50 mph, whereas the cars turning left at the light are starting from a complete stop. I am concerned that the Little Cottonwood traffic will not want to slow down to merge. Also, no stop light for northbound LCC traffic makes it nearly impossible for those trying to enter Wasatch Blvd. north of the high-T intersection. Very dangerous!

I travel through this intersection daily and am pleased with the work that UDOT has done. In my opinion this intersection is now safer with dedicated lanes of traffic a timed light that keeps the ski traffic flowing. Additionally, bike safety was addressed with lights dedicated to bikes and proper striping. The increased grading and longer turn lanes - to La Caille are welcomed. I have adjusted my speed to sub 30 MPH for the La Caille turn-off. The previous La Caille turn off could be taken at high speed which created a safety issue. I applaud UDOT for designing a safe intersection addressing the needs of both local and canyon traffic. The only thing left is landscaping which will sadly have to wait until spring. Thank you. KH

We travel through this intersection several times a day and it’s always worrisome! The traffic is going way to fast coming out of Little Cottonwood Canyon to merge into the slow moving cars. Not to mention the absolute nightmare you have now created for all of us residents that live East of Wasatch in this area, who now have no break in the canyon traffic and no safe way to get in and out of our neighborhood because of it. And that 90 degree turn to go Southbound towards La Caille... I have a couple questions for that engineer that designed that corner... Do you live in this area? If not, do you know how difficult it is when we get snow up here? Making that 90 degree turn on snow and ice is going to be extremely difficult now. Before, it was just a slight curve that allowed you to go slowly without sliding off the road. With the sharp angle of this turn and the fact it is going uphill, that’s a slide off waiting to happen. I’m not sure what they were thinking when they designed this, but those of us that have to travel through here multiple times a day are frustrated and it always feels like it’s “when” someone plows into me in this intersection... before, I had a greater chance of hitting a deer in this area. Sad that your poor design has created such a dangerous situation for everyone and especially those of us that now feel like we can’t safely exit our neighborhood East of Wasatch Blvd. Please fix this immediately before someone gets seriously injured, or heaven forbid killed, trying to exit the Top if the World neighborhood or at this intersection!

It was supposed to be an improvement, not a change that only jeopardizes safety for those who live in the area and people driving there. There is not too much to study, it is actually just getting back the red light to that intersection and reducing speed limits. Not having a red light there only makes cars come down so fast and not having a traffic break; making it very difficult for those who need get onto/from Wasatch.
We live east Wasatch so we drive several times a day through it and it has become a challenge every time. Not safe at all!

Please!!!

UDOT... the inevitable just happened today... there was a terrible accident at this intersection. How many more accidents have to happen here before you do something?

Please fix the terrible mistake that is this intersection. There is nothing that is an improvement over the old configuration. It is unsafe for cars. IT IS A DISASTER FOR BIKERS!!! I used to ride through this intersection regularly but I won't any more. It is highly unsafe. Calling this intersection "poorly designed" is a massive understatement. Auto accidents have already occurred. Are you waiting for Spring and the increase in bikers for a FATAL auto vs bike accident before you consider making this intersection safe???

This is dangerous to enter Golden Hills Drive. The traffic from the canyon is going very fast. Sitting in the turn lane, the traffic coming down from the canyon is often head on at me. They move over that the last minute. If someone isn't paying attention they are going to head on crash at high speed into my car. There would be no way for me to move out of the way. Lower the speed limit, put a traffic light to make a break in the traffic so you can enter or exit Golden Hills Drive. I worry about my daughter and granddaughters visiting me and using this ingress into the subdivision. It is a fatality waiting to happen. Please do something.

This intersection could have alternatively been designed as a 4-way intersection. With widening expected, I would anticipate UDOT reconsider the northbound free flow lanes, and shift to a traditional 4-way intersection.
It is time to realize and accept we have a traffic issue in the area, and opening up lanes to fasters speeds is not the answer. Rather, we need to slow traffic down. This is a residential area, there is no need for excessive speeds above 35mph to 40mph. Currently, the speed limit is posted at 50mph. Cars move through this area upwards of 60mph. Safe Bike lanes and pedestrian crossings have yet to be addressed. The high tee intersection falls well short of meeting UDOTs own Active transportation mandate. Please work openly with Cottonwood Heights community to assure that their Bicycle and Pedestrian Trails master plan concepts are being met in design aspects of this project. Per Cottonwood Heights city Bicycling and Pedestrian Trails master plan, all streets rated over 40mph must be a category 3 bike lane, separated from the traffic lane. Currently Wasatch Blvd Bike lanes fail to meet this standard.
To the contrary, of the above response insinuating the bike lanes were done correctly, the northbound Bike lanes abruptly disappear to west shoulder upon approaching the intersection, and cyclists are forced into high seed traffic, on a curve, no less. The Bike lane does not merge safety into the intersection heading northbound, a cyclists has to fight their way into traffic. And, nothing about this intersection design is pedestrian-friendly. Exactly how does a pedestrian cross here, safely, if at all? If UDOT or Cottonwood Heights did not expect/design for pedestrian traffic (especially in respect to the 160 new homes site adjacent to this area) then designers were operating in a complete vacuum. Folks locate or relocate here to recreate, to enjoy open spaces; both foot traffic and cycling traffic have increased and are heavy in this area. UDOT will have one more opportunity to address these critical factors in the next go-a-round design project with the widening of Wasatch Blvd. Let’s get it right, for safety sake, please! Thank You.

Without a stop light the traffic coming out of LCC is moving too fast. The lefthand turn lane onto Golden Hills from Wasatch Blvd. is sitting such that you are directly facing head-on northbound traffic coming out of the canyon at high speeds. Since much of the traffic exiting the canyon are skiers, and not local, they are focused on merging and are not aware of the turn lane. Cars are constantly drifting over the double yellow line into the turn lane. There is an extreme risk of a high speed head on collision.

Please address the turn lane onto Golden Hills as part of the rework. In the interim please institute a temporary solution to address this risk. While I understand "it is the driver's responsibility to drive with caution and be aware of the other vehicles when merging", it is the responsibility of UDOT to institute traffic control measures to help control speeds and facilitate a safe driving environment.

Perhaps more convenient for those coming out of LCC, but incredibly unsafe and inconvenient for anyone who needs to access Wasatch Blvd from the adjacent neighborhoods. It was already a nightmare to get out during rush hour with traffic coming from the north, but now with no break in traffic from the south it is nearly impossible. Please, put the northbound signal back in place, program it to work with the signal at 3500 E, and have someone take a look at the overall design of the intersection from a safety and neighborhood perspective rather than what appears to have been strictly a monetary decision to keep the tourist's reviews up.

Any half wit could see the flaws in this new intersections design from start to finish. Shame we allowed construction to continue through to completion knowing it will be rebuilt at a higher cost from our taxes. Some over paid UDOT office should lose their job over it.

I think this configuration is a GREAT improvement! It is only a problem as the ski resort closes and then only for a short time. It makes so much more sense than the way it was, and thank god they removed a traffic stop light instead of stopping traffic again and again and again. It does create a situation where some have to make a right turn instead of a left turn to go south on Wasatch at other intersections. Turning right is always safer than making a left turn. Thank you UDOT for using common sense instead of listening some who speak loud!

The revamped intersection fails to even meet criteria of: UDOT's Active Transportation policy, WFRC's Active Transportation Policy, and the Zero Fatalities goal. There have already been accidents at the high tee, the latest involved an injured person air-lifted out of the scene.

Just watched another very near miss accident that would have definitely sent people to the hospital. PLEASE TURN ON THE NORTHBOUND LIGHT SO THERE IS A BREAK IN TRAFFIC AND REDUCE SPEED LIMIT TO 35 MPH THROUGH HERE! You have had plenty of time to “study” it! Let’s fix it now and work towards that goal of ZERO fatalities instead of continuing to risk the lives of the people that live in these surrounding neighborhoods!

Tyler - UDOT Region Two Maintenance Engineer assigned this issue to Peter - UDOT Region 2 Traffic Engineer

Kylar - UDOT Region 2 Communications assigned this issue to Tyler - UDOT Region Two Maintenance Engineer

Tyler - UDOT Region Two Maintenance Engineer assigned this issue to Peter - UDOT Region 2 Traffic Engineer

At this same intersection the northbound traffic has a yield sign that is wrong. The right lane merges into the left, and the sign indicates otherwise. The right lane also ends at a crest in the hill and they are just suddenly out of a lane. I commute to and from work on wasatch and I can't tell you how often I see near misses. Plus everyone is going 50 mph or faster. Please fix the merge sign!!!