Chapter Six
TRANSPORTATION

The City’s transportation system is a complex network of roadways, trails and public transit systems designed to provide safe and efficient modes of transit, for all ages and abilities. Much of the City’s transportation system is already in place but it is steadily being upgraded and expanded as the City continues to grow.

Since the last General Plan update in 2012, several major transportation infrastructure improvements are underway or have been completed, including: the widening of 9000 South between the Jordan River and Redwood Road to seven lanes; the 9000 South roadway construction between 5600 West and SR-111; 7800 South from 5600 West to SR 111; and, the widening of 1300 West.

The document that provides the long-range policy framework for the City’s transportation system is the Transportation Master Plan. The Transportation Master Plan guides the location and type of transportation facilities that are needed to meet projected growth and development within the City. It contains an extensive analysis of the City’s existing transportation network, identifies deficiencies in the system, and recommends funding and implementation strategies designed to create a balanced and accessible transportation system.

The Transportation Master Plan has undergone several revisions since its initial adoption on October 14, 2003. The latest update was completed on June 24, 2015. For more detailed information, the Transportation Master Plan can be found on the City’s website.

The 2019 West Jordan Active Transportation Plan includes more detailed bicycle and pedestrian information than can be found in the Transportation Master Plan. The Active Transportation Plan focuses on the City’s bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure needs.

Residents in West Jordan have expressed a desire to see more trails and more Utahns are saying that active transportation facilities are important to their quality of life.

There are over 20 miles of paved multi-use trails, 37 miles of Active Transportation Plan- designated shoulders and bike lanes and over 590 miles of sidewalks in West Jordan, most of which are owned and/or maintained by the City. As areas are developed or redeveloped, the demand for active transportation will grow.

The Active Transportation Plan describes the importance of pedestrian and bicycle amenities and the interconnection between land uses and transportation. It evaluates existing sidewalks, trails and bicycle infrastructure and makes specific prioritized recommendations on pedestrian and bicycle system improvements. It also identifies potential funding sources for making systemwide improvements.

The Neighborhood Traffic Management Program provides residents with a process for identifying and addressing problems related to speeding, excessive traffic volume, and safety on local residential streets. In new developments, the City has been incorporating traffic calming features such as speed tables, bulb outs and roundabouts.

When new neighborhoods are constructed with lower speed street design, including a lower speed limit of 20 MPH.

Street Classification System

Streets and highways provide for two distinct and very different functions: mobility and land access. Both functions are vital and no trip is made without both. Road facilities are classified by the relative amounts of through and land-access service they provide. The City’s Road and Bridge Standards contain the latest street cross-sections that have been approved by the City Council.

There are four primary classifications of streets:

   1.   Local Streets

These facilities primarily serve land access functions. Their design and control facilitates the movement of vehicles onto and off the street system from land parcels.

Through movement is difficult and is discouraged by both the design and control of the facility. Nearly all local streets, with the exception of private lanes, are owned and maintained by the City.

   2.   Collectors

These facilities, the “middle” classification, are intended to serve both through and land access functions in relatively equal proportions. They are frequently used for shorter through movements associated with the distribution and collection portion of trips. In general, collectors are divided into major and minor categories.

All collector roads are owned and maintained by the City.

   3.   Arterials

These facilities are provided to primarily serve through-traffic movement. While some land access service may be accommodated, it is clearly a secondary function, and most traffic controls and the facility design are intended to provide efficient through movement.

Some of the arterial roads in West Jordan are owned and maintained by the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), while other arterials are owned and maintained by the City. Specific jurisdiction for each road is specified in the 2015 Transportation Master Plan.

   4.   Freeways

These facilities are provided to service long- distance trips between cities and states. No land access service is provided by these facilities.

The freeways that cross through West Jordan are Bangerter Highway and the Mountain View Corridor. These freeways are owned and maintained by UDOT. State Highway U-111 (Bacchus Highway) and the New Bingham Highway are classified as limited access high speed arterials.

Transportation Improvement Plan

The majority of the new streets to be constructed are located in the western portion of the City. For the most part, the arterials and collectors in the eastern portion of the City are built out or planned to their ultimate condition, although many are expected to experience traffic volumes at or above their capacity in the future.

The results of the community survey distributed during the first few months of 2021 indicated a concern by residents about east- west traffic congestion, particularly at intersections on Bangerter Highway at 6200 South 7000 South, 7800 South and 9000 South.

In 2011, the Utah Department of Transportation began making improvements to these intersections which includes a grade- separated intersection at all of these intersections. These improvements will improve east-west traffic flow at these intersections.

The Mountain View Corridor is a planned freeway, transit, and trail system that extends 35 miles from I-80 in Salt Lake County to I-15 in Lehi in Utah County.

The Mountain View Corridor extends north and south through the city between 7000 South and 10200 South and is being constructed in phases.

Phase 1 includes two lanes in each direction with signalized intersections where the Mountain View Corridor crosses local roads. The second phase will be a true freeway and will be constructed in the future. New grade- separated interchanges will be constructed at Old Bingham Highway, 9000 South, and 7800 South.

Although some local streets will be impacted, such as Wells Park Road and Old Bingham Highway (which will be re-routed), east-west access will be maintained across the freeway by bridges at 7000 South, 7400 South, 8200 South, 8600 South and Dannon Way.

Regional and community commercial centers are shown on the Future Land Use Map at 7800 South and 9000 South, which will benefit from visibility and easy access to the freeway. The first phase of construction began in 2011.

Public Transportation

An effective and efficient transit system will be an increasingly vital component of the overall transportation network in West Jordan as the City continues to grow. Proper transit planning and design not only requires that the transit facilities themselves be considered, but also adjacent land uses and transportation corridors.

The Wasatch Front Regional Council’s Long- Range Plan includes increased transit service throughout Salt Lake County. As the population grows, it will be necessary for UTA to provide service to these new areas. Major corridors, such as 5600 West, will be arterial streets and have been identified as transit corridors. Services are also being provided with UTA’s Mid-Jordan light rail TRAX line which began service on August 7, 2011.