SALT LAKE CITY — A renovation project for Sugarhouse’s main road and the utilities below is underway, but another big traffic change awaits first.
Currently, traffic in the area is limited to one lane in each direction, but starting Monday, all eastbound traffic will be closed from 900 East to 1100 East and on 2100 South.
According to the city of Salt Lake, crews will be replacing 110-year-old water and sewer mains that run underneath the road during the eastbound closure, as well as repairing the road, which is expected to remain closed until mid-August.
The city is encouraging drivers planning to travel eastbound on 2100 South to take Sugarmont Drive (2225 South) between 900 East and Highland Drive, where they can use Highland Drive to return to 2100 South, which is the route taken by Utah Department of Transportation Route 21 buses.
Drivers can also use 1700 South as a detour. Salt Lake City announced it will temporarily restore access in both directions on 1100 East between 1700 South and 2100 South during the eastbound closure. Crews are also working on road repairs along 1100 East as a separate project.
In either case, drivers can reach homes and businesses via side streets between 900 East and 1100 East.
“We appreciate the patience of local residents while the city reconstructs 2100 South,” Salt Lake City Engineer Mark Stevens said in a statement Thursday. “Our goal has always been to reduce the impact of road construction on residents and businesses in Sugar House and elsewhere in the city.”
This project is “Funding the Future” Bonds Work, which residents approved in 2018, began in March and is scheduled to continue until 2025, with a pause over the coming winter.
The work aims to repair aging utilities buried under 2100 South and reconstruct the roadway from 700 East to 1300 East. Stevens said the work will “protect taxpayer investments” in the roadway and extend its lifespan.
But residents and businesses have also expressed dissatisfaction since construction began. Sarah Snow, owner of Pibb’s Exchange, a thrift store just south of 2100 South on Highland Drive, said: He spoke to KSL Newsradio’s “Dave and Dujanovich” earlier this month. She has been feeling the effects of both road and building construction since 2022.
“We’ve been working on this for a few years now,” she said, estimating that sales have fallen by 30 percent in that time. “We know this is necessary, but people have had a hard time finding us.”
Her company fought back by increasing advertising and using it to explain how to navigate the work. The city has communicated when the work will happen, but some details ultimately “won’t come to fruition” once construction begins, she said.
Businesses within a half block of the construction site can receive up to $3,000. Salt Lake City Construction Mitigation Grants Owners can use the ads to promote their businesses during construction, and Salt Lake City Councilwoman Sarah Young, who represents Sugar House, said the city is also looking at ways to host events to bring people to nearby businesses during construction.
“We’re trying to not only support these businesses but encourage people to continue to frequent their favorite businesses that are there,” she said. “We know construction is a lot of work, but these businesses are worth it.”