Southern Utah University has successfully completed its implementation of a four-way stop at the intersection of 200 S. and 1150 W. Previously, only traffic along 200 S. was required to stop. In an effort to alleviate driver confusion and enhance pedestrian safety, the university’s request for the improvement of the infrastructure gained the green light during a Cedar City Council meeting that took place in October.
The need for this traffic adjustment arose as SUU expanded its campus westward, leading to increased traffic at the intersection. Ben Johnson, SUU’s senior managing director of construction services, was present at the council meeting and highlighted the rise in pedestrian traffic, particularly from a parking lot at the northwest corner of the intersection, which, notably, does not mandate a parking permit.
“We have a lot of people that think this is a four-way stop as they come through, and that creates a lot of confusion,” Johnson said at the meeting. “I would invite any of the city council members to come anytime between seven o’clock in the morning to about two in the afternoon, and you’ll watch and see it’s a lot of near misses in that area.”
Johnson emphasized various concerns, such as visibility challenges when driving north due to a road curve on 1150 W. near the Center for Hope and the Native Plant Center’s landscaping. The existing four-way stops on 1150 W. and 1100 W. intersecting with 400 S., 600 S. and 800 S. have created confusion about the right of way on 200 S. This has caused many drivers to treat the two-way stop on 200 S. like a four-way.
SUU has additionally requested specific signage, including a 36-inch flashing stop sign for the southeast corner and a “Stop Ahead” warning sign about 300 feet before the intersection on 1150 W. Johnson assured that the university is prepared to purchase these signs and even paint crosswalks if necessary.
Support for the project was evident in written endorsements from Cedar City Police Chief Darin Adams and the Utah Department of Transportation, with council members expressing their approval.
Emphasizing the significance of this initiative for student safety, Johnson remarked, “It’s a huge thing for our students to be able to get them across the road there safely.”
Author: Jacob Horne
Photo: Jacob Horne
Editor: Chevy Blackburn
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