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Cedar Fort council approves safety letter to CMC over semi-truck access at West Canyon Road
Summary
Cedar Fort's council voted to send CMC a letter documenting repeated safety incidents where semi-trucks enter West Canyon Road slowly and create hazardous passing conditions. The council also discussed possible ordinances, weight limits and longer-term road realignments.
The Cedar Fort Town Council voted May 4 to send a formal letter to CMC documenting safety concerns at the West Canyon Road intersection after residents reported repeated near-misses and visible skid marks.
Council chair (S2) said the town has received photographs showing skid marks and described semitrailers emerging from the access and accelerating slowly into highway traffic, prompting risky overtakes. “My big concern is the safety concern with that intersection,” S2 said, adding that trucks entering the road are often too slow to merge safely and that drivers approaching at speed sometimes move into the oncoming lane to pass.
Council members debated short-term steps and longer-term engineering changes. Options discussed included asking CMC to direct its contractors and drivers to use an alternative access where a signal exists, installing signage, pursuing a weight-or-axle restriction ordinance at the town level, or pursuing a dedicated haul road aligned with nearby intersections.
A certified commercial vehicle inspector (S10) warned enforcement challenges: state highway patrol units enforce commercial limits on state highways, while local enforcement requires a town ordinance, citations and court procedures. “If you put an ordinance in place, then we get it all set up and then in the state court system,” S10 said, summarizing the limits of local enforcement without additional legal steps.
Chair S2 argued the town should at least record a public position in writing to reduce liability and to document that officials warned of hazards. The council voted to send the letter and requested staff to work on draft language and follow up with CMC and any relevant state agencies.
The council also asked staff to explore an enforceable local ordinance and to coordinate with the planning commission and county or state road authorities to determine whether physical changes at the intersection or a restricted haul route are feasible.
The motion to send the letter carried on a roll-call vote.
