Concerns rise over possible damage to graves during Salt Lake City Cemetery roadwork

SALT LAKE CITY — A $14.5 million roadway improvement project at the Salt Lake City Cemetery is prompting concern from residents who fear construction equipment may be damaging historic gravesites and burial grounds.

The historic cemetery, situated above the city and renowned for its serene, hallowed atmosphere, is the final resting place for early pioneers, prominent Utah figures and generations of local families.

For resident Robert Race, it is also home to many of his own ancestors. Race visits the cemetery several times a year. During a recent trip, he noticed changes tied to the new concrete roadways, improvements he welcomed, but he also saw troubling signs nearby.

Race said vehicles appeared to have driven directly over gravesites on the cemetery's northeast side. Photos he took show tire tracks, disturbed soil and headstones pushed downward or covered with dirt.

Race described one area where the ground looked partially collapsed. He feared the weight of construction vehicles may have crushed the concrete vaults that protect coffins underground.

Salt Lake City Public Lands officials acknowledged the cemetery's tight layout leaves crews with limited room to maneuver, saying that "driving over headstones is an unfortunate requirement" during the project. They reported no confirmed damage to headstones and said markers covered in dirt had been cleaned.

However, during a visit last week, on Jan. 2, KSL documented several headstones that remained visibly sunken, tilted, or covered by displaced soil.

Despite his concerns, Race emphasized that he supports the overall improvement effort. His hope, he said, is that more care is taken to protect the dignity of those buried there.

Public Lands Director Kim Shelley noted in a statement that not all ground disruption is caused by construction, pointing to gophers and voles, which also burrow throughout the cemetery, contributing to uneven soil and occasional sinkage. Shelley said staff remain committed to preserving the grounds and addressing issues as they arise.

The city has also pledged to cover repairs for any construction-related damage to headstones.

In instances where damages are found, a city spokesperson said, "We research our files and notify any family members for whom we have contact information. We have had signs posted throughout the cemetery for the past few Memorial Days requesting people to update their contact information for their loved ones' graves. If city equipment damages a headstone, the city takes liability."

Concerned residents are encouraged to contact the cemetery sexton.

Construction started a year ago and is projected to be completed this fall, with most of the affected landscape areas reestablished before Memorial Day weekend, according to city officials.

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