It's the biggest traffic nightmare on the city's northeast side - the 2300 North underpass that's so narrow only a single car can safely pass at a time.
The city has been working since 1977 for an improvement to the inadequate crossing but has never had the approval of the railroad company - nor the funding.However, the city recently received some encouragement when the Wasatch Front Regional Council and the Utah Department of Transportation declared the road a collector street. This gives the project a better chance of receiving improvement funds in the future.
"We're just hopeful," City Manager Dennis Cluff said, explaining nothing is certain yet.
He estimates it will take between $350,000 and $500,000 to tear out the underpass, widen the roadway and construct a new bridge.
"A small city like us doesn't have that kind of money," he said.
The current underpass includes a three-way stop at its T-intersection design, but Cluff said there is very poor visibility from at least two directions, increasing accident possibilities.
The road has become a main street in recent years because traffic going to and from five new subdivisions, a school and church feed into it.
The Denver and Rio Grande used to own and operate the underpass, but it's now owned by Union Pacific.
Cluff hopes the current owner is more cooperative. He said while the train track is currently inoperative and has been for a decade, it's certain that Union Pacific will want the underpass rebuilt.