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SALT LAKE CITY — A major intersection just south of the Utah Capitol is receiving a big makeover, but it will remain closed for months while that happens.
Utah Department of Transportation contractors began work on Monday to drastically change the intersection of State Street and 300 North, digging into the roadway outside the complex. Construction crews will rip out the current traffic pattern and install a new roundabout, according to the agency.
The project will also adjust the layout of the Capitol lawn. The "State of Utah" wall — a popular place for people to take photos — will be moved closer to the building. Construction will keep the intersection and a section of the Utah Capitol lawn closed until the project wraps up in mid-to-late December.
"We have an opportunity to enhance the safety of this intersection," said Jessica Rice, a project manager for UDOT.
The State Street and 300 North intersection is often busy not just with people coming to the Utah Capitol, but also the Capitol Hill neighborhood and its connection with Victory Road. The latter is often used by drivers heading into Davis County wanting to connect with U.S. 89 and northbound I-15. Some arriving from northern Utah enter downtown Salt Lake City via the highway and the Utah Capitol roads.
However, Rice explained that the pattern, up until now, has led to confusion and many "near-misses" between drivers. Drivers heading up the hill on State Street had the right of way, while drivers on 300 North were instructed to yield or stop to State Street traffic. Those driving through the intersection to remain on westbound 300 North also had to merge with drivers turning left onto the road.
"Near-misses are not documented, but we've gotten a lot of feedback that there are a lot of near-misses at this intersection daily," she told KSL.com. "People will note that they feel like they almost got hit or they watched somebody else."
At the same time, there were plenty of reports of pedestrians—generally people trying to capture a shot of the Utah Capitol behind the "State of Utah" wall—walking out into the roadway, which added to the intersection's safety concerns.
So UDOT teamed up with the Utah Division of Facilities Construction and Management and the Utah Capitol Preservation Board to redesign the intersection to improve traffic flow and safety while keeping people away from walking into the path of a car to take a photo.
A conceptual rendering released by the agency shows that the roundabout would cut into the current sidewalk bit. Traffic bollards would separate the roadway and sidewalk near the stairs leading to the Capitol walkway. The wall will be replaced on the other side of the stairs, closer to the Capitol, per the current plan.
Drivers who normally use the intersection will have to take a detour while that takes place, though. Main Street/Columbus Street to the west and East Capitol Boulevard to the east are the preferred alternatives, but Rice said drivers may prefer to use I-15 or 300 West (U.S. 89) instead, especially if they are commuting between Salt Lake and Davis counties and want to bypass unrelated construction on North Temple in the area.
Utah Transit Authority also adjusted its Route 200 bus, which normally reaches the Utah Capitol on weekdays. Its detour now takes the bus to a temporary stop by 200 North and Main Street instead of its three stops along the perimeter of the complex because it typically crosses the now-closed intersection.
The closures are expected to be lifted in time for the next legislative session, which begins on Jan. 21, 2025.
Once it's all complete, Rice said she believes the wall will become a "better gathering place" when people arrive to the state Capitol.
"You can stand in front of the wall, and you'll still get the whole frame of the Capitol building in," she said. "This is going to take all of that or a lot of that foot traffic off of the same level as the roadway and put it up on the same level as the (pathways)."
