300 West construction in Salt Lake is done, but recovery continues

SALT LAKE CITY — For businesses on 300 West between 900 South and 2100 South, construction work is over. The detour signs are gone and the traffic jams have lessened considerably. But since the project began two years ago, customers have gotten out of the habit of going to those businesses.

And it’s taking some time for them to catch up.

Christina Johnson owns Christina’s Barber Shop at 300 West near 1500 South, in the middle of the construction project. She said the years-long traffic jams cost her 90% of her customers.

“During the construction, it killed my business so much that I actually had to dip into my own retirement funds to keep my business going. If I wasn’t able to do that, I would be out of business.”

Throughout the construction project, another business, Diggity Dog Resort near 1500 South, said traffic jams caused them to lose from five to 10 customers per day.

“You know that added another, sometimes, almost 50 minutes just to get from [1300 South] to us,” William, a Diggity Dog Resort employee, told KSL NewsRadio.

Using money from the Funding Our Future bond, Salt Lake City and the Utah Department of Transportation replaced pavement, improved drainage and added to the sidewalks. The money also went toward adding new bike lanes and crosswalks.

At least one business owner said customers are trickling back in. 

“I’m excited for it to be completely over,” said Brady Stephens at Crankshaft Grinders. But he said he knows there is still a lot of ground to make up.

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