UDOT study finds speed transitions and recommends speed‑management tools on SR‑143 through Parowan

Parowan — UDOT Region 4 traffic operations engineer Cody Marchant told the Parowan City Council April 16 that a recent speed study along SR‑143 through town showed higher speeds at the town edges and transition areas and recommended speed‑management measures rather than automatic speed increases.

The study examined free‑flow conditions, reporting 85th‑percentile speeds up to 2–4 mph over the 50‑mph zone near the interchange, 5–6 mph over a 40‑mph zone inside town in some locations, and up to 8–9 mph over the posted limit in certain outbound transition segments at the 85th percentile. Marchant cautioned that raising posted limits (for example a short section from 35 to 40 mph) is not the only or necessarily best response; instead, he recommended context changes to the roadway (curb extensions, new sidewalks/curb and gutter, gateway signage) and speed‑management devices such as driver‑feedback radar signs.

UDOT staff said driver‑feedback signs can be effective in rural‑to‑town transitions and that UDOT will partner to pay roughly half of material costs for such signs (materials estimated at $5,000–$6,000 each; cities pay installation and power connection costs). The presentation did not study pedestrian crossings in downtown Main Street and the council later asked staff to consider pedestrian‑alert measures where new sidewalks and crossings will be used by shoppers and residents.

Council members discussed enforcement, wildlife flashing signs for migration seasons, and potential placement that would maximize effectiveness. UDOT emphasized that roadway context — physical changes that signal to drivers that they are entering a populated area — is a major factor in changing driving behavior.