Keep going to church and patronizing Mrs. Backer's bakery — just don't drive down South Temple if you don't have to. That was the message from Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson and other city officials as they anticipated the 18-month South Temple reconstruction project to start next week.

The 100-plus-year-old thoroughfare will be thoroughly redone from Main Street to Virginia Street. The $12.3 million project, a decade in the planning, will complicate trips to the Cathedral of the Madeleine, First Presbyterian Church, Temple Square and a dozen or so retailers such as Mrs. Backer's — but the pain will pay off in a restored "grand boulevard," Anderson promised.

The street is "like a historic building," said project coordinator Pat Peterson, so it can't be widened or otherwise reconfigured. But refurbishment will include the planting of about 87 trees, replacement of sandstone sidewalks and the burying of wires for the antique street lights.

As many as 28,000 car trips are made up and down South Temple on an average business day. Peterson and Anderson want to see that shrink and almost disappear. Yes, you will be able to drive up and down South Temple during the construction, which will last till November 2003, Peterson said. But "it might be interesting at times," and alternate routes to the south are recommended. Those include 100 and 400 South, "which people going to the University should have been using in the first place." Alternate modes of transportation "would be great, too. We have this wonderful light-rail system," serving the U.

The Utah Transit Authority will inform passengers of changes in bus-stop locations and routes, which will be diverted during South Temple construction, Peterson added.

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Anderson said the South Temple project has been put off until now because of other major street tear-ups, such as the University light-rail line construction on 400 South during 2001. "We'll do what we can to keep (lanes) open, at least one in each direction," during the two summers of South Temple upheaval, Anderson said. By the end of this summer, the portion from Main to 500 East should be repaved; then construction will cease during the winter months. Next summer the rest of South Temple from 500 East to Virginia Street will be repaved.

Access to the businesses along South Temple will be maintained, as will access to church parking lots, according to Peterson.

Lots of details about the South Temple project are online at www.southtempleconstruction.com. Bus and light-rail schedules are at www.rideuta.com.


E-mail: durbani@desnews.com

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