1. United States
2. Utah
3. Letter

I am writing to urge you to oppose Senate Bill 242, sponsored by Sen. Wayne Harper and Rep. Kay Christofferson. This legislation represents an unprecedented intrusion into Salt Lake City's ability to govern its own streets and protect its residents. Salt Lake City is a distinct municipality with its own elected leaders who are directly accountable to local voters. These leaders understand the specific needs of their neighborhoods far better than state legislators from Taylorsville or Lehi. S.B. 242 would strip this local control by requiring the city to partner with the Utah Department of Transportation before implementing any traffic-calming projects and would completely bar the city from making changes to its most heavily trafficked roads. The justification for this bill is particularly troubling given the facts. A state-mandated study released in October found that Salt Lake City's lane-reduction projects completed over the past decade had little effect on traffic patterns. This undermines the primary argument that these projects are causing significant problems. Meanwhile, as Council Member Chris Wharton noted, auto-pedestrian crashes remain one of the leading causes of death in the city. Families want to live in places where they can walk or bike safely around their neighborhoods. The bill's four-tier system would create bureaucratic barriers that prevent the city from responding to legitimate safety concerns. Tier One roads would be completely off-limits for improvements, while Tier Two projects would require extensive data analysis, comprehensive public outreach, and state approval. This is government overreach that substitutes the judgment of state officials for locally elected leaders who are closest to the problems. I urge you to respect the principle of local governance and vote against Senate Bill 242. Salt Lake City should retain the authority to make decisions about its own streets based on the needs and safety of its residents.