Citing public safety concerns, a Sandy city attorney said the community will join a lawsuit filed by a group of business owners who want barricades constructed on 300 West and about 10200 South taken down.
Within a day or two, Sandy will file the paperwork to make formal its opposition to the blockade, which South Jordan put up in late February to keep traffic from crossing a hazardous set of railroad tracks."We are planning to intervene in the lawsuit," said Steve Osborn, an assistant Sandy city attorney.
A few days after South Jordan officials closed 300 West by placing heavy gates on either side of the railroad tracks, several business owners in the area filed a lawsuit asking a 3rd District Court judge to force the city to open the road. South Jordan had been under intense pressure to close the railroad crossing or make it safe after three Sandy teenagers died at the site on New Year's Eve.
Sandy police and fire officials say under normal traffic conditions, it takes about four minutes to get to businesses in the area just west of I-15 between 9000 South and 10600 South.
But the metal gates mean fire officials have to stop, unlock the gates, pull through and carefully relock the gates - a process that adds about three minutes to an emergency call, Osborn said. The next shortest route to businesses in the area takes an additional 10 minutes, he said. "The extra time is a public safety concern."
South Jordan provided Sandy with a number of keys to the gates.