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SOUTH JORDAN — Several businesses in South Jordan are being forced to move out in order to make way for a major Utah Department of Transportation project.
It's happening at the intersection of 9800 South and Bangerter Highway. That's where UDOT is planning to turn the stop light intersection into a freeway-style interchange with on and off ramps.
UDOT has already done this to 10 different intersections along Bangerter Highway over the past 10 years.
The businesses that are being forced to move include a half dozen that are in a development called the Carriage Crossing, on the northwest side of 9800 South and Bangerter Highway.
UDOT says the owner of that building willingly sold it to them at market value.
The businesses in the strip mall include a Chinese restaurant called Rice King Express, Bonneville Tattoo, a karate business, Big Daddy's Pizza, a dental office and Dollar Tree.
"Need to be out end of December," said Jing Yong Liang, the owner of Rice King Express.
Liang said they've been at this location for 18 years. When asked if he was going to be able to move out by the end of the year, he said, "No." He said it will cost them over $100,000 out of pocket, above UDOT's moving expenses, to move into another place. Plus, he said it would take about six months to move all their equipment and set up the restaurant in another location.
"We cannot find another place right now. The rent is like double," Liang said. But, he said, "There is nothing we can do."
One of the owners of Big Daddy's Pizza told KSL-TV that they've been there for eight years.
"Good location, good place, good customers," said Jason Nguyen.
He said it's going to cost them about $160,000 out of pocket to move all of their equipment.
"They pay not enough money. We lose all that money. UDOT, the governor, have to help business owners," Nguyen said.
Nguyen said they've been forced to start renting a place in Riverton just so they can hold that spot during the move. So right now, they are stuck paying two monthly rentals — $2,800 a month where they are at and $3,200 for the space in Riverton.
"We have to pay more money and we lose that money," he said.
UDOT spokesman Mitch Shaw said they understand the businesses' frustrations.
"Property acquisition is one of the hardest things we have to do at UDOT," Shaw said. "We're empathetic towards them, and we know it's a very difficult ordeal for a homeowner, for a business that has to move as a result of one of our projects."
But he said this is a project that must go on in order to handle the 60,000-plus cars that travel along Bangerter Highway daily.
"This is something that we have to do ... not only to move people more efficiently but also for safety," Shaw said.
Shaw said UDOT never told the businesses they have to be out by the end of the year; that may have come from the former owner of the property, but they are planning to start construction by next spring.
