August 23, 2002 (Cont'd) Highway 124 is backed up for miles because a new overpass is being built. Keith Butler, mayor over the city's 1,500 residents, has a word for it: "flustrating." It sums up the feeling of the flustered populace and frustrated motorists who speed through residential neighborhoods that are not used to the traffic. "It has really put a strain on our community. Everyone on the southbound freeway lanes is getting off, trying to find an alternative way, and they are going up and down through our city, with its narrow streets, trying to find a way south," Butler said. "Drivers are frustrated because they've probably been waiting in traffic clear back to Box Elder County. So they get off the freeway, trying to find an alternate route, and they're in a hurry. They don't realize how fast they are going. Cars are bumper-to-bumper on streets that normally don't have that, so it's frustrating to residents as well." He is also concerned about the economic impact Marriott-Slaterville has no property tax, but instead relies on sales tax for its revenue. "Sales are way down. The construction is really costing businesses. I know this will affect our income. The truck drivers who come to Pilot Oil or to one of the two motels don't want to get off the freeway because they don't know if they can get back on," Butler said. Kim Freeman, a manager at Pilot Oil, a major truck stop, said: "Business has declined about 50 percent. Customers keep asking me questions (on the best way to get around), and I have to tell them that the construction is all around us." Though taking a sharp financial hit, business owners said they know the situation is only temporary. Freeman said no one has been laid off. Despite the "flustration," there also have been no reported incidents of road rage. "Citations are up, accidents are up, but people tempers in check, they seem to be handling it pretty well," said Klint Anderson, Public Information Officer for Weber County Sheriff. "But there have been more accidents in the area." Butler requested an increase of patrol cars to create a higher profile in the city. "We are writing a lot more citations," Anderson said. Anderson said, however, that even police officials have grown tired of all the construction. "It's tough on our officers too. They have to find ways to get from one call to another, so they get frustrated too," Anderson said. Butler said he is concerned about school starting soon which will add children to the traffic problems. He fears some children may not be as cautious as they should because they are not used to the extra vehicles. "UDOT has been bombarded with complaints, because there's really no good way to get here. If you try to get around it, you end that's a nightmare too, he said. While Freeman can't wait for the construction to finish and the truckers and other customers to return, she has some advice for those motorists who are passing through right now. "Stay on the freeway and don't get off," she said. Construction woes are due to ease by the beginning of September. UDOT spokesman Andy Neff said the rush to roadwork was done because "Utah has only a certain number of days to finish this work, because of winter." Neff said all the projects have been on the books for a long time, and that UDOT is aware of the impact on the community. To that end, the contractors, Granite Construction, have been offered a bonus for completing the work early, and it is in fact ahead of schedule. Citing a UDOT survey, Neff said people prefer a project with greater impact and quicker completion than one with less impact that takes longer to finish. 54