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Edge Hill residents urge council to reroute detour; mayor pledges safety review
Summary
Dozens of Edge Hill residents told the council that routing a detour through their narrow street during Taylor Avenue speed‑table work would endanger many children; the mayor acknowledged concerns, defended a new city newsletter distribution plan, and pledged engineering follow-up and communications.
Residents of the Edge Hill neighborhood packed the public-comment period at the Oct. 7 Ogden City Council meeting to oppose plans that could route detour traffic through their narrow, child‑filled street during roadwork on Taylor Avenue.
"We are being asked to absorb the campus and commuter traffic that cuts between Weber State and the Event Center," said Gina Schafer, who presented a petition she said was signed by 91% of households on her block. "Edge Hill has none of these protections — no sidewalks, no bike lanes, no pedestrian signage — and we are small, residential and full of children."
Other residents described daily speeding and limited sightlines. "Within an hour span [officers] had 4 people pulled over, 1 of which was going 20 over the speed limit," said Chandler Copenhaver, advocating use of Skyline Drive or Country Hills as an alternative detour. Several speakers urged the council to close Edge Hill to through traffic during the Taylor speed‑table project and to add speed‑mitigation features if the street must be used.
Mayor Nadalski responded that the city shares residents’ safety concerns and will review engineering and closure options, but must do so in a way that complies with state engineering standards. "They're built in a way that slows it down. We don't predict or project any diverting, but if that did happen, we would respond to that," the mayor said. He committed to convene staff and offer follow-up communication to the neighborhood.
During the same public-comment period, Heath Sato raised concerns about the city's decision to have a city newsletter printed and distributed by the Standard‑Examiner, saying the arrangement risks an appearance of diminished journalistic independence. The mayor said the administration modeled the project on similar municipal newsletters in nearby cities, argued the Standard‑Examiner provides significant local printing capacity, and said the city will adjust the newsletter's presentation to avoid confusing readers.
Council members thanked Edge Hill residents for attending, encouraged ongoing communication with staff and representatives, and said they would explore detour routing, enforcement presence and traffic‑calming options while ensuring compliance with engineering standards.
