City staff outline intersection changes near Walmart and roundabout fixes on Spanish Fork Parkway

Spanish Fork Public Works staff briefed the council on traffic mitigation measures for two congested locations: the Walmart/Commerce Way intersection and the Spanish Fork Parkway/700 South roundabout at US-6.

Why it matters: Both locations experience peak-period congestion, delivery-truck conflicts and pedestrian crossings; staff said engineering changes aim to improve safety, reduce crash risk and improve traffic flow before winter.

Walmart/Commerce Way intersection - Problem: Left-turn conflicts and U-turning vehicles leaving the Walmart and adjacent properties are causing stacking and unsafe movements during peak periods. - Proposed changes: Staff proposed restricting left turns onto and out of the Walmart side of the intersection, retaining left turns into certain businesses (e.g., Deseret Book area) to avoid shifting traffic problems to Kirby Lane, and extending the left-turn pocket at the signalized Commerce Way intersection to improve stacking. - Timing: Staff said contractors will be sought for construction; the work could occur before winter if schedules allow or early next spring.

Spanish Fork Parkway / US-6 roundabout - Problem: Overflow from the US-6 signal can back into the roundabout and shut down traffic; insufficient lane width on the west side limited throughput. - Interim fix: Staff widened the west-side lanes to allow two lane flow around the roundabout when the US-6 signal backs up. - Long-term: Staff are coordinating with the railroad and UDOT to widen the intersecting segment (two through lanes plus right turn) to reduce backups; the railroad coordination is a major factor in schedule.

Council and public questions Council members asked about signage, whether the right-turn lane could be configured as a merge lane, and coordination with UDOT. Staff said signage improvements, lane marking, and earlier driver information will be evaluated and that UDOT coordination is required for changes where state highway operations are affected.

Speakers - Corey Pierce — Public Works (presenter)

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