Resident urges council to reject lane reductions after traffic study; suggests police presence at new development

At the June 17 Cottonwood Heights council meeting a resident urged elected officials to reject any lane reductions arising from a recent traffic study and to consider police presence at a planned development.

Runar Bowman, the lone speaker during the citizen comment period, said he reviewed the traffic consultant’s ranking options discussed in the earlier work session and opposed the option to reduce lanes to a single lane east of 2300. He said that change would back traffic up near an elementary school and that commuters and skiers would be delayed. "Putting it down to one lane, it's just you're gonna back traffic up," Bowman said.

Bowman said an alternative option that retained two lanes but included small roundabouts seemed more realistic. He warned that any lane reductions that produce backups would push drivers into adjacent neighborhoods seeking alternate routes. He also said an upcoming development of "upwards of 100 units" could generate about 200 additional cars and intensify local congestion.

Bowman raised public-safety concerns tied to new development, calling it "possibly a crime magnet," and suggested the city consider a police substation or provide two units of officer housing near the development, potentially subsidized by the city, to increase on-site officer presence.

Council members did not take action on the traffic study during the business meeting; the comment was recorded during the citizen comment period and will be part of the public record for future sessions where the council or staff address the consultant’s recommendations.

The council subsequently proceeded to scheduled public hearings and action items.