CATHY ALLRED - North County Staff | Posted: Wednesday, August 2, 2006 11:00 pm
A traffic study is underway at 1700 West and Lehi's Main Street, State Route 73, after two people died there Monday afternoon in a multi-vehicle collision.
Merrill Gomm, 80, who was driving a white Toyota Camry northbound on 1700 West, pulled out in front of an eastbound semi-trailer in Lehi and the semi-driver, in trying to avoid the Camry, swerved, hitting both the Camry and an oncoming, westbound, yellow Volkswagen.
Lehi Police Sgt. Darren Paul said there was no indication that the Camry driver ran the stop sign, he may have stopped and then entered S.R. 73.
"The Camry pulled out in front of the semi-truck," Paul said. "The truck hit the Camry, and in an attempt to avoid the Camry and stop, he rolled over and slid and hit a yellow Volkswagen."
A family visiting from California, Merrill Gomm, and his 53-year-old son Craig Gomm died at the scene. Merrill Gomm's wife, Beverly Gomm, was flown to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center and was listed in serious condition.
The driver of the Volkswagen, Elizabeth Devlin, 21, were flown by helicopter to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center and was listed in serious condition. The semi-truck driver, Alfredo Lopez, 31, also was listed in serious condition. He was taken by ambulance to American Fork Hospital.
"Based on the unfortunate events that happened yesterday, we've already ordered a warrant study," UDOT's Geoff Dupaix said on Tuesday. The study is needed to warrant a traffic light at the intersection which could take up to eight months to plan, design and install.
Doug Bassett, UDOT Region 3 traffic engineer, spent Tuesday visiting the accident area and answering phone calls about the incident.
"It's been a hot topic around here," he said.
The speed limit along S.R. 73 is 45 mph, but the traffic generally speeds by at 55 mph. Dupaix and Bassett say there is no need to change the speed limit although as part of the study traffic speeds will be recorded.
Travis Tuckett of Eagle Mountain town center agrees the speed limit is sufficient. As a matter of fact, in the late afternoon traffic slows to a crawl.
"It's disgraceful that they haven't done anything about it," Tuckett said. A Real Estate appraiser, he moved with his young family from Phoenix, Ariz. three months ago.
He said the traffic is better in Phoenix. Each day, he travels S.R. 73 several times and going home about 5:30 p.m. traffic will back up from Lehi's roundabout to the crossroads in Saratoga Springs taking 20-30 minutes to go two miles.
"I would be tickled to death to pay the toll to get in and out of town," Tuckett said. "It's fair if we have to pay to get it here sooner ... I can't believe it's taken them this long to decide they need to do something."
Natalie Evans contributed to this report.
This story appeared in North County on page A1.