The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has designed a plan to improve traffic flow and safety along State Route 289, also known as University Boulevard. The addition of multiple add-ons will contribute to the change of creating a single lane roundabout. 
This roundabout will include a raised center island for visibility. The one-way lane will require drivers to slow down, yield to oncoming traffic and proceed when there is a safe gap in between cars.
Designs currently include new sidewalks and crosswalks as a part of the roundabout to ensure the safety of students and other pedestrians on foot in this area.
The design plan is aimed to be completed within the next few months, and the bid submittal for this project will take place in Spring of 2025. Though the construction on University Boulevard will begin during the Summer of 2025, students can plan on travel delays around that area during a majority of 2025 and part of the 2026 school years.
According to UDOT, there are various changes that can come from a roundabout, which will be beneficial near campus. “Crashes at rural intersections often involve high speeds, which tend to result in severe injuries or fatalities”. Roundabouts typically require lower speeds, which result in up to an 82% decline in fatal crashes.
For more information on the construction of the SUU roundabout or to voice a concern, students can visit the UDOT Website. While exact dates have not been released, drivers can roughly plan on the completion of the roundabout to be during the Winter of 2026.
Author: Briar Adams
Photos courtesy of Alysha Lundgren/Cedar City News
Editor: Anna Mower
news@suunews.net
