Representatives of UDOT said the project isn’t necessarily designed to address or solve a major current traffic problem, but that it is designed to prevent future congestion problems as the population along the Wasatch Front continues to rise. A 2014 study by the Utah Foundation estimated that Utah’s population could double by 2050.
One UDOT representative said that although the stretch between State Street and 700 East isn’t that bad right now, it could become much worse if they don’t do this project now.
The project is especially controversial for some people who own property along 9000 South. In order to widen the road, UDOT will utilize land that many homeowners believed was part of their property. UDOT purchased the property back in 1997 but didn’t do anything with it, leading some to believe it was simply part of their front yard.
