Progress on the Salt Lake Community College Juniper Canyon Campus, the school’s new location planned along the east side of the Mountain View Corridor in Herriman, is at an impasse.
Two years after purchasing almost 90 acres of property near the southwest edge of Salt Lake County, SLCC remains unable to break ground on the desired site.
“We don’t anticipate the start of construction for at least three to five years, with it probably being closer to five,” says Nate Southerland, SLCC Assistant Provost of Academic Support.
While the news may have some locals growing restless, many of the reasons for the delay are in part attributed to the existing transportation infrastructure, or more accurately, the lack thereof.
According to Tami Moody, Director of Communications for Herriman City, campus in-roads are only just being developed while construction on the proposed TRAX line running to the SLCC Juniper Canyon Campus doorstep has yet to commence.
Moody detailed that while Herriman, SLCC and UTA “meet regularly” to align their construction timelines, the projects may be forced to operate independent of one another.
“We have to collaborate with Riverton, South Jordan and Draper on the [TRAX] line as well,” says Moody. “There are a lot of moving parts.”
Beyond settling unresolved transit matters, SLCC anxiously awaits approval from the state for the funding of an initial building. Since substantial private donations are scarce, the college will remain in a holding pattern until they gain approval for the funding they need.
Plans for the campus also involve Utah State University and the University of Utah, as both schools will have individual buildings on site, allowing students to earn four-year degrees after graduating from SLCC.
Moody hopes there will be various commercial businesses, such as restaurants and shopping centers that will enhance the area surrounding the school.
In 2000, the United States Census Bureau estimated Herriman’s population at just over 1,500 residents. In 2013, the latest census estimated Herriman’s population had grown 16 percent, up to 26,000-plus residents, in a 13-year span.
The address for the new campus is 14400 South and 4000 West to serve Herriman and the surrounding area’s population growth.
