Bangerter makeover concerns existing business owners

DRAPER — To Doug Johnson, visibility from I-15 and easy access from Bangerter Highway go together like a Big Mac and French fries.

For nearly 18 months, Johnson's McDonald's franchise on the southwest corner of Bangerter and 200 West has enjoyed both those location perks — allowing hungry, on-the-go customers to do the same.

"It's the only reason we're there," he said.

Changes threaten businesses

Proposed changes to Bangerter Highway threaten to eliminate those advantages — and, Johnson says, put McDonald's and neighboring stores out of business.

The Utah Department of Transportation wants to remove signals from the intersection at 200 West on Bangerter Highway and create a new, freeway-style interchange at 600 West.

The goals of the project, UDOT officials say, are to reduce existing traffic congestion, improve safety and meet future traffic needs on I-15 off-ramps at Bangerter Highway and at the 200 West intersection.

The lack of signals at 200 West would prevent motorists from turning left from either direction on Bangerter. Right turns still would be allowed in both directions, with a dedicated right-turn lane planned for westbound traffic on Bangerter between I-15 and 200 West.

For Johnson, that means the only easy way for customers to access his store would be if they were traveling east on Bangerter toward I-15. And motorists who spot the golden arches and exit the freeway for quick meal may not be willing to follow the circuitous route that would be required to get there.

UDOT's plans, he says, will "limit the traffic flow dramatically from what it is and what we expected when we built there and invested a lot of our livelihood."

Depending on the way the Bangerter makeover is designed, Johnson expects to lose between 50 percent and 75 percent of his customers.

"We'd be out of business," he said. "We can't survive on that."

McDonald's isn't alone. Getting to convenience stores Common Cents and 7-Eleven on the north side of Bangerter suddenly would become inconvenient.

And shoppers headed for destination stores such as Taylor's Boats, IKEA, Ashley Furniture and other businesses on Draper's "Furniture Row" may have trouble getting there — depending on the direction they're traveling.

"There's no question this will have a dramatic effect on our business," said Taylor Richards, president of Taylor's Boats, "and right now that's the last thing we need in this economy."

Business owners banding together

Johnson and other business owners in the area — including representatives from IKEA — have been huddling up and putting together a game plan on how best to protect their investments.

One such meeting this week included Sen. Howard Stephenson and Rep. LaVar Christensen, both R-Draper. Business owners are hoping bringing some political clout into the discussion will encourage UDOT to reconsider its plans.

"We've made them aware of the project and the whole process," Johnson said.

It's the process that has IKEA officials most concerned. Company spokesman Joseph Roth said the Swedish home-furnishings chain wasn't made aware of UDOT's plans until last fall — after the window for public input used to develop transportation alternatives had closed.

"We were caught off guard that this was going on and that it had been going on for as long as it had been," Roth said. "We expressed our frustration (to UDOT), and it appears they have at least opened the process more to receive input."

Initially, UDOT favored an alternative that would have closed all access to 200 West from Bangerter Highway. Business owners' concerns played in a role in preventing that option from being advanced as the preferred alternative, said Brandon Weston, UDOT's environmental services director.

"We're sensitive to the impacts to businesses around (200 West), and we've tried to develop an alternative that can satisfy some of that," Weston said, noting that the preferred alternative at least allows right turns onto 200 West from Bangerter.

"(Business owners) certainly have a legitimate concern," he said. "We're trying to work with them the best we can, but it comes down to safety."

UDOT explains concerns

The intersection at 200 West and Bangerter Highway is roughly 1,400 feet from the westbound off-ramp from I-15, UDOT officials said. During peak travel times, traffic is backing up on the southbound I-15 off-ramp at Bangerter Highway — and even onto the freeway.

"The problem with that is you've got stopped traffic right next to high-speed traffic," Weston said. "That's a big safety concern."

And UDOT officials say that problem will only get worse as development in the area continues.

"If we're already having the backing up onto the freeway, and we're seeing that almost every day, you can imagine what would happen once that area's fully developed," UDOT spokesman Adan Carrillo said. "We believe (an interchange at 600 West) will help alleviate those problems."

UDOT accused of 'preferential treatment'

Business owners also take issue with what they say is preferential treatment being given by UDOT to an interchange at 600 West rather than 200 West.

The 600 West interchange would be located close to a planned Utah Transit Authority commuter-rail station and a proposed transit-oriented development around the station.

"We think that has a lot do with (UDOT's selection of a preferred alternative)," Richards said.

The name of the project chosen by UDOT, Johnson points out, is the "Bangerter 600 West" project. The McDonald's owner says that indicates to him that UDOT entered the planning process already preferring 600 West as the site for an interchange.

"(UDOT) has decided, 'Here's what we want to do. Let's create an analysis of a problem that will lead to this conclusion,'" he said.

Johnson, Richards and other business owners in the area have until June 13 to submit public comment to UDOT on the draft environmental impact statement, released earlier this month.

An open house and public hearing on the project is scheduled for May 24 at the Draper City Library, 1136 E. Pioneer Road. The event will run from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., with presentations at 4:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.

"We want to hear what people have to say and see if we can tweak things to better address their concerns," Weston said.

------

Story written by Jared Page and John Daley.

Related topics