Midway gets second traffic light, nearly a decade after installing the first

MIDWAY, Utah — Midway is officially a two-stoplight town.

The Utah Department of Transportation activated a new four-way traffic signal at the intersection of Main Street (SR-113) and River Road, or 400 East, nearly a decade after the intersection was first identified as a candidate for a traffic light.

The project has transformed the intersection, adding dedicated turn lanes, pedestrian crossings, and bike lanes along with the new signal. UDOT says the improvements are intended to improve traffic flow and safety for all road users.

Restoration work remains underway around the project, with UDOT saying crews could continue working in the area through Oct. 15.

The new signal has a long history in Midway.

When Midway installed its first traffic signal at Main Street and Center Street in the summer of 2017, the River Road intersection was already being discussed as the location for a second.

UDOT had conducted traffic studies at both intersections, and officials said both met criteria for a traffic signal.

The first light came after a 2015 UDOT study found that the Main Street and Center Street intersection carried about 6,000 vehicles per day and experienced significant traffic during peak periods. UDOT determined a signal was warranted and began construction in July 2017.

At the time, Midway officials were also looking ahead to River Road.

A 2017 account of the first signal’s construction said UDOT had originally hoped to install the River Road signal as early as summer 2018.

Nearly nine years later, that second signal is finally operating.

Construction began March 3, with work continuing through the spring and summer. Paving and traffic signal installation began in August, and one-way traffic controls were removed Sept. 4. The signal became fully operational Sept. 22.

For a community that spent years with just one traffic light, the new signal marks a noticeable change along Main Street.