Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
City study recommends $4.6 million signal at Highway 211 and DeMarco to improve pedestrian safety
Summary
A traffic study presented to the Sandy City Council found the Highway 211/DeMarco intersection currently fails the city's operational standard and recommended a traffic signal (about $4.6 million) as the best benefit-cost option for vehicle operations and pedestrian protection.
A city-hired consultant told the Sandy City Council that the intersection of Highway 211 (Barco Road) and DeMarco Road is operating below the council's vehicle-delay standard and shows a crash history that warrants action.
Ria, the DKS transportation engineer, said the study's 2026 counts show the side streets operate at level of service E against the city's LOS D target and that 26 crashes occurred at the location over the previous five years, 18 of them resulting in injury. "So based on your standard for the stop sign approaches, which is D, it is not meeting your standard," Ria said during the presentation. She also noted the crash rate measured about 1.4 crashes per million entering vehicles, a performance metric that typically triggers further safety review.
Consultants modeled future conditions for 2030 and 2040 using the city's transportation system plan and found the intersection would continue to show long delays if left unchanged. After evaluating alternatives (roundabout, traffic signal, pedestrian devices and intermediate treatments), the study rated a traffic signal highest on the city's combined safety and operations criteria. Ria provided preliminary cost estimates that included an extra civil‑engineering allowance for retaining walls due to steep topography: the signal option totaled about $4,600,000 while a roundabout estimate was roughly $8,500,000.
Council members pressed on whether lower posted speeds alone would change the recommendation. The consultant replied that level-of-service is a vehicle-delay measure and would not improve simply by changing posted speeds; separate safety improvements and the signalized protection were still recommended to make crossings safer for pedestrians and bicyclists. The council asked staff to pursue short-term pedestrian and bicycle crossing treatments, explore potential speed reductions, and begin identifying grant opportunities and funding strategies to support the long-term project.
