NO ONE CAN get lost here. We Utahns pride ourselves on how easy it is to find our way around Salt Lake City's carefully laid-out grid system. Beginning at the Salt Lake Temple and working outward, the blocks are numbered, and the streets are wide and straight.
It makes sense to most of us. But many visitors do have problems - especially Easterners who are used to landmarks on winding, narrow streets with familiar names.Many are confused by our tendency to post signs saying 100 South while natives call it First South. For those accustomed to Oak, Elm and Prospect streets, 3500 South doesn't even compute.
But I'm concerned about another problem: Many of our highway signs focus on far-away places.
As a Salt Lake native, I know where I am going when I drive from the airport to my home. Unless I fell asleep on the plane, that is. Then it takes a few minutes to get my bearings.
But recently, as I took that familiar drive, I imagined myself a confused newcomer or a visitor looking aghast at the green road signs at the crossroads of I-215 before instantly deciding whether to go south to Provo or north to Ogden.
It's a monumental decision - especially if I'm thinking Murray or Kaysville. So I say to no one in particular, "Uhhh - which direction is Kaysville?"
Think the signs will help? Not likely.
Similarly, when I leave the city on 500 South, the sign on the left says 80 East - Cheyenne, and I-15 - Las Vegas. The sign on the right says, 15 North - Ogden, 80 West - Airport, Reno.
Apparently, there is nothing in between.
When I go right, traveling on I-15 toward Ogden, no signs say Farmington, Bountiful, Kaysville or Lagoon. There is one saying Ogden or Pocatello.
When I go left toward Cheyenne or Las Vegas, no signs tell me about Murray, Midvale, Sandy, Holladay, Cottonwood - or even Highland or American Fork.
None suggests that branching off to I-80 East (toward Denver and Cheyenne) will first take me to Sugar House. While the University of Utah and Westminster College are announced in small letters just before the 1300 East exit, there is no effort to announce these important institutions earlier.
It used to be that no signs mentioned Holladay or the Cottonwood canyons - but now, miraculously, there is a sign on I-215 announcing the Holladay area, and another dramatic one before the 6200 South exit advertising the Cottonwood canyons, with ski areas prominently identified.
That sign is a very welcome addition.
Leaving I-15 and going west on 2100 South, I run into exits like 900, 3200 and 5600 West, not knowing what town lies ahead. Traveling west on I-215, I pass the 4700, 3500 and 2100 South exits without ever learning about West Valley City or Magna. Neither is announced until the appropriate exits. Exit 15 at 4700 South mentions Salt Lake Community College, a progressive step.
Once on I-80 East, I don't know where I'm going. When I reach the I-215 South exit, I learn at the last minute that I can go to Park City or the Cottonwood canyons. But on I-215, information is lacking.
Back on I-15 toward Las Vegas, the signs announce Provo and Cedar City but not Kearns, Midvale, Murray or Sandy. There are exit signs that mention these places, but they require quick decisions.
In Utah, the trend is to announce a town after you make the exit.
Big help.
Like Draper and Riverton. I have no idea where to find either town until after I have exited. Well, Draper is a big deal now - with a burgeoning population. We need to know where it is.
Taking I-15 South toward Provo, there is no announcement about two key recreation areas - Provo Canyon and Sundance - until after I have exited at 800 North. There is warning of Brigham Young University and Utah Valley State College, but only a quick one just before the exit.
And I would love a few landmarks on the exit signs, such as Fashion Place Mall on the 280 East exit sign off I-2I5, Cottonwood Mall on the 2000 East exit, and South Towne Center on the 10600 South exit off I-15.
What about signs that say "280 East" or "6200 South" anyway? Is there even the foggiest chance that such a numerical designation will mean anything to a visitor?
There is only one airport sign on I-15, just before the exit. The exit itself says Airport, Reno. Is it the RENO Airport? Even I-215 West does not provide a sign for the airport until Exit 22 abruptly says, "Salt Lake International Airport."
One other thing: Realizing that some smaller towns, such as American Fork and Orem, are advertised on the highway as having several exits, why not the capital city? When I approach Salt Lake City, I see only one exit marked "City Center" - at the 600 South offramp. Yet I can reach the city by taking 2100, 1300 or 900 South.
Shouldn't all of them be marked "Downtown Exits"?
Hey, this is becoming a world-class city. We've already had over 200,000 people move onto the Wasatch Front in the past seven years - and we're getting the Olympics soon.
The time to shape up our signs was yesterday.