For close to two months, neighbors along West Temple say a construction squeeze that left the street with only one northbound lane has turned their block into a wrong-way gauntlet. One resident says he has collected multiple videos that show drivers, including a school bus, turning straight into oncoming traffic and narrowly skirting head-on collisions. He and other neighbors say they have been calling city offices and police, pushing for clearer traffic controls before someone gets hurt.
Residents share video evidence
According to KSL, the resident lives on West Temple between 2700 South and 3300 South. He told the outlet that crews working in the corridor have reduced the road to a single lane that runs northbound. He provided several clips he says show wrong-way drivers, and reported that the first near head-on happened within a week of the lane change and has been happening for roughly eight to nine weeks. He also said he contacted the South Salt Lake mayor's office, local code enforcement and the non-emergency police line, yet the wrong-way driving has not stopped.
Neighbors demand fixes
"We just want something done about this," the resident told KSL. The same report notes that the South Salt Lake mayor's office told the station it is aware of the situation and wants to address residents' concerns. In the meantime, neighbors say the temporary striping, signage and lane setups have left drivers guessing, while people walking and biking feel they are the ones paying the price.
Project background and planning documents
South Salt Lake's online project map outlines several corridor improvements in the area, including restriping and phased work that can temporarily change lane patterns. The city describes those plans on its South Salt Lake project page, which includes maps and timelines. City planning minutes and materials also show long-term work on West Temple and nearby Main Street that includes protected bike lanes and roadway reconfigurations, according to South Salt Lake planning records. Residents say it is the temporary traffic setup during construction that is creating confusion and prompting risky wrong-way turns.
What safety guidance says
According to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, temporary traffic control plans for one-lane, two-way operations should remove or cover any WRONG WAY signs that no longer apply and use channelizing devices, temporary signals and warning signs to keep drivers on the proper path. The MUTCD describes tools such as temporary traffic signals and barrier-style channelization that agencies can use where short-term lane changes might otherwise cause conflicts. Neighbors say those kinds of measures, along with stepped-up enforcement during busy times, are what they want to see in place while work continues on the corridor.
