South Jordan man in wheelchair is first to use UDOT’s new pedestrian bridge

New bridge over Bangerter Highway near 9800 South now open to the public

Jacob Chesley received an unexpected early Christmas gift when the new pedestrian bridge over Bangerter Highway in South Jordan opened Saturday, which is a common path he and his uncle, Kurt, use when they go for walks.

The 38-year-old, who lives with cerebral palsy and gets around in a wheelchair, was the first person to cross the new bridge at a small ribbon cutting ceremony. Jacob was hoping to be the last one to cross the old bridge before it was removed in March 2024 to make way for a new interchange at 9800 South and Bangerter Highway.

"We were going to try to be the last ones to cross that one, but life got busy and next thing I knew it was gone," Kurt Chesley said. "UDOT does not waste time. They do a great job keeping projects moving."

Jacob often crossed the old bridge on his regular walks with his uncle. Kurt said the pair loves to explore on their four- to six-mile hikes.

"It's been several months since we've been able to cross the bridge," Kurt Chesley said. "It's Jacob's claim to fame, I guess you could say."

Kurt said the bridge is important to Jacob's regular routine.

"It's all about accessibility and safety, big time," Kurt said.

The bridge will provide safer access to neighborhoods, Elk Meadows Elementary School and Elk Ridge Middle School.

"It's really nice to get that human touch and realize a lot of times we forget that real people use these structures. It's nice to realize what you do makes a difference in people's lives," said Nick Clark, a UDOT engineer who oversaw the design and construction of the bridge.

Jacob is nonverbal and communicates by pointing at symbols in a book.

"Thank you," he said, as his hand brushed a picture of a symbol in his book.

UDOT is in the middle of building a new interchange at Bangerter Highway and 9800 South. The new interchange is part of UDOT's decade-long effort to eliminate stoplights on Bangerter Highway by converting intersections into interchanges. In addition to 9800 South, UDOT is building interchanges at 13400 South, 4700 South and 2700 West.

Bangerter Highway is one of the valley's largest north-to-south corridors, moving an average of 60,000 vehicles per day. Removing stoplights and converting all intersections into freeway-style interchanges will enhance safety and help keep traffic moving in the ever-growing west side of the Salt Lake Valley.