By Kirk Bradford | [email protected]

If you haven’t heard of the “Sanborn Speedway,” It’s probably because you don’t live in Riverton. 

The residents who live in Riverton on and around Sanborn Drive showed up in a group to voice their concerns at last month’s council meeting. Resident Robin Parker started the public comment portion. 

“We have one stop sign on almost a 2-mile stretch that leads from Bangerter Highway to Sanborn Drive,” she said. “People are speeding down the residential road to reach businesses on the other side of the town. They are going to large businesses like Walmart, Biolife or the baseball field. We have people coming right through because there are not any speed bumps or many stops signs. We now have a dangerously busy road in our neighborhood, and we have tons of kids outside who are playing. We have had so many instances where we parents have tried to slow people down, and we get flipped off.”

Resident Danielle Herscher also voiced her frustration. 

“I built my home along Sanborn Drive in 2007, and I have spoken to our public works director, Trace Robinson, and I worked with him when I was an engineer at [the Utah Department of Transportation],” she said. “I have also spoken to our city engineer, Brian Moore, two to three times, and I keep getting told from Mr. Moore that this is an enforcement issue. I called the Unified Police Department, and they were wonderful. They came out and sat right at Sanborn Drive and Carter Creek. He was having to leave his post honestly, every five to 10 minutes. So, I have contacted the city trying to figure out if they can provide me with the number of citations for Sanborn Drive versus similar roads in the area.”

Mayor Trent Staggs said that he had heard about this problem before. 

“Council member [Tawnee] McCay, who’s district this is, she knows of this problem and discussed it with me already,” he said. “We want to ensure that we staff this, and when we get your contact information, we can follow up with you. There're some things regarding our different speed tests in the past and some other traffic calming measures that I know are being discussed.” 

Workman and Herscher also spent three minutes each to reinforce their opinion that the road has gotten out of hand. Herscher said he has been going the speed limit down the road and, “People will literally zoom past me at a high rate of speed. My kids have almost been hit. We don’t call it Sanborn Drive; we call it the Sanborn Speedway. I stopped Officer Barrett; he has parents who live on this street. He told me this street is crazy. The officers know this street has become a problem. You may think, oh, this seems like a problem because it’s on your street. That’s not it if you came and spent some time on it. You would see the problem.” 

Choked up with some emotion, Herscher finished. 

“We feel like our complaints have just fallen on deaf ears,” he said. “Not only do I not want my children to get hurt, I don’t want anyone’s children to get hurt.” 

Staggs said having their area representative there would help address this problem.

“The suggestions about looking at the number of traffic citations can be followed up on, and the Riverton Police Department is new, as you know, only being formed back in July. We can follow up with them on this and continue a dialogue.” 

District 3 Rep. McCay made a request that a traffic study begins being performed, which has begun. She also requested they consider putting the radar sensing flashing speed limit detector signs in place. Police enforcement is now in effect and helping the area, according to McCay.