Gateway groans
It looks like mess, but cars and traffic getting in and out
By Steven Oberbeck
The Salt Lake Tribune
The TRAX extension along 400 West in Salt Lake City has hampered the flow of traffic and pedestrians next to The Gateway, with construction expected to last well into next year. (Francisco Kjolseth/The Salt Lake Tribune )
Cars, construction equipment and workers share the same narrow spaces around The Gateway as construction continues, but in-and-out traffic seems to be fairly smooth, area merchants say.
Utah Jazz season-ticket holders Trent and Jenaway Bezzant typically try to arrive early to games so they have time to stroll among the shops in The Gateway mall across the street from the arena.
But these days, arriving early also provides another benefit - they get to avoid the pre-game gridlock caused by the construction along 400 West and on the streets just to the south of the stadium.
"Getting out of the game, though, is the real nightmare. It used to take us about five minutes. This last game it took almost 45 minutes," Jenaway Bezzant said. "It just seemed to take forever."
Construction on the roads near The Gateway is expected to continue through March 2008 as the Utah Transit Authority extends its light-rail line from the north side of the arena to the city's transit hub on 600 West, between 200 South and 300 South.
Although the primary objective of the construction is to link the light rail with the planned arrival of the commuter rail line coming in from the north, Salt Lake City officials are taking advantage of the situation to upgrade the streets and municipal utility lines, some of which are more than 100 years old.
UTA spokesman Justin Jones said the best way for visitors to avoid any inconvenience caused by the construction is to use light rail. "It provides easy access in and out of the area."
And so far, many of the business operators in The Gateway maintain that they have seen little financial impact from the roadwork. "Our customers haven't been complaining and they seem to be able to get here just fine," said Cecily Stevenson of Sur La Table, which sells kitchenware and other cooking accessories.
Mall General Manager Tracy James said the city crews and those from the construction company handling the work have done all they can to maintain street access for area businesses, including adding a parking lot at 600 West and 200 South, within walking distance of nearby shops and restaurants.
"We've been meeting with them frequently, sometimes on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. And whenever anyone expresses a concern, it gets addressed almost immediately," James said. "Just the other day, someone noticed a change in the way the street lights were working - they had been reset - and the problem was fixed within a few hours."
The solid communication has meant that those who do drive in the area usually are faced with only minor inconveniences. "At most, a driver will have to go through construction for only a half block before they get to one of the entrances to our garages," James said.
At the Estilo Salon across the street and to the east of The Gateway on 400 West, Rina Gutierrez said the construction so far has been a positive experience, considering. "Initially, I thought it would be terrible for us. But it hasn't hurt business. In fact, people seem to have noticed us a little more."
If anyone can complain, it would be the operator of the parking lot immediately south and across the street from the arena.
Parking attendant Doug Treasure said despite the lot's proximity to the arena, it has not been full during any Jazz game since construction began. "What seems to be happening is that people pull up the corner (of 300 West and 100 South), see all the construction equipment to the west and don't seem to realize that they can still get into this lot."
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