December 27, 2011 UDOT required Carnahan to purchase a $25,000 insurance bond to cover any possible damage that could occur to state-owned property that abuts Carnahan's property. Carnahan also agreed to a "cross access easement" behind his office that would accommodate future shared access if adjacent properties are developed. "These are all things that I didn't want, but basically had to agree to because I'm not a big corporation who can hire high-priced lawyers," he said. "If I wanted to open my office and get to work, I had to agree to this stuff." Carnahan also said that, during the approval process, it was difficult to get timely correspondence from the state. UDOT, he said, had even been sending information regarding the project to an engineer who didn't work directly for him. To top things off, Carnahan said, the state placed freeway signs in the middle of his property, in front of his office. Carnahan said he spent countless hours and thousands of dollars getting approval from the state. He opened his office Nov. 1, a month later than he wanted to. UDOT Region One spokesman Vic Saunders said the ERIN HOOLEY/Standard-Examiner Jay Carnahan wants the Utah Department of Transportation to move road signs that are blocking the State Farm Insurance sign in front of his business on 12th Street in Marriott-Slaterville. A UDOT official says the state agency will be moving the signs. state works hard to accommodate small-business owners, and while the process sometimes can be drawn out longer than expected, it ensures that the state highway system is safe, well maintained and in efficient working order for the taxpayer. Saunders said the insur ance bond, the traffic study and the cross access agreement are all a normal part of the process. "We have not asked Mr. Carnahan to fulfill any requirements or obtain any permits that aren't asked of any other business or individual located adjacent to a state highway," Sanders said. "In most cases, the business owners are willing to comply." Saunders also said the freeway signs on Carnahan's lot would be moved to a more appropriate location. Marriott-Slaterville officials approved Carnahan's site plan for the business in June. UDOT's site approval came in mid-October. Carnahan said Marriott- Slaterville officials helped him greatly in sorting things out with UDOT. Marriott-Slaterville City Attorney Bill Morris said his city, along with officials from Harrisville, recently held a special meeting with UDOT to see if there is anything the state can do to speed up the process that business owners like Carnahan go through. "People have been getting through the city process a lot faster than the UDOT process," Morris said. "But we've met with UDOT, and we're satisfied they are going to work with us." Meanwhile, Carnahan is just happy his business is open. "We're just glad we've made it through this and we've finally opened our doors." 140