Dental Implants in West Valley City, UT

WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — There are many different ways to escape the heat that has blanketed Utah this summer. One of the most common is a visit to the public library and grabbing a book to enjoy in the delightful air conditioning. But in West Valley City, as the temperatures rise outside, they're doing the same inside what's supposed to be an oasis for residents looking to beat the heat.

This library has been sitting here for nearly 60 years, and she’s showing her age," said Salt Lake County Library Director Joey McNamme of the West Valley branch.

With age comes a new set of challenges.

“We have a few branches that we’ve identified as needing to be replaced," McNamee added, "and this is one of them. So when we’re looking at expenses to repair the space. That can be a really challenging position to be in because we, of course, want our libraries to be comfortable and maintain all our buildings so the public can access all of our services, but also we have to be wise with our taxpayer dollars.”

Because of the cooling issues, the West Valley branch has reduced its hours, now closing at 2 p.m. instead of staying open, as usual, until 9 p.m. McNamee said it was a decision library officials made with the community in mind.

How do outdoor workers stay safe in the extreme heat:

“This is a neighborhood library, so we want to make sure that we have that option available as much as we possibly can,” she said.

For people looking to get out of the sun, there are other options.

"I did a search on our little 'Cool Zone Map' and within 5 miles I counted 10 additional cool centers that folks can access," shared Katherine Fife, Salt Lake County Associate Deputy Mayor.

Cool centers in Salt Lake County include recreational centers, senior centers, and other public buildings like libraries other than the West Valley branch.

“We look for solutions," Fife explained, "so Salt Lake County, we have circumstances that happen that are beyond our control, and we all work together to find solutions and address it as quickly as possible, and, in the meantime, we have alternatives for our community members to access."

All four Bangerter projects on track to wrap up in late 2025

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (July 10, 2025) — The Utah Department of Transportation will open 4700 South at Bangerter Highway to east-west travel tomorrow, bringing relief and increased traffic flow for local and regional travelers.

This traffic shift is a significant milestone for the Bangerter Highway interchanges project. Progress continues as UDOT converts intersections into freeway-style interchanges at 4700 South in Taylorsville and West Valley City, 9800 South in South Jordan, 13400 South in Riverton and 2700 West in Bluffdale.

Next week, crews will start pouring concrete for the new 13400 South bridge deck on July 15 and July 22. Traffic will start driving under the new bridge by the end of July.

Bangerter Highway traffic is scheduled to move under the new 9800 South bridge and on top of the 2700 West bridge by the end of August.

All four projects are on track to wrap up by the end of fall.

For more than a decade, UDOT has been working to eliminate stoplights on Bangerter Highway by converting intersections into freeway-style interchanges. While UDOT is currently focused on upgrading 4700 South, 9800 South, 13400 South and 2700 West, the plan is to eventually go all the way to California Avenue.

Bangerter Highway is one of the Salt Lake 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 thriving west side of the Salt Lake Valley.

“Opening 4700 South to east-west traffic is a big milestone that will make a real difference for everyone moving through this area,” UDOT Region Two Director Robert Stewart said. “We’re keeping the momentum going on this project, and getting closer and closer to the finish line every day.”

Tags: 4700 South, Bangerter, Bridge, Construction, Salt Lake City, Traffic flow, Traffic shift

This article is excerpted from the Utah Eats newsletter. To get the full newsletter every Wednesday, subscribe at sltrib.com/newsletters.

Hello, Eaters! West-siders and beer fans, I’ve got news for you: A new brewpub, called Rabbit’s Foot Brewing Co., has opened in West Valley City at 3318 Decker Lake Drive, just south of the Maverik Center.

The 21+ brewpub is a collaboration between Lucky 13 and Bewilder Brewing. Cody McKendrick, who’s a managing partner at Bewilder, heard about an opportunity to buy a sports bar in West Valley City called Penalty Box Bar & Grill, and asked Lucky 13 co-owners Rob Dutton and Ron Lay if they wanted in.

McKendrick told me that he was excited by the idea of opening a brewery in West Valley City, which doesn’t have any. And he knew Dutton and Lay had experience running the food-centric Lucky 13 next to an event space that sees big fluctuations in business. Dutton has also lived in West Valley City, and Lay was a firefighter for the city for more than 20 years.

So, the three of them started a gradual changeover at Penalty Box, taking on operations in December but keeping the original name while they remodeled. Then they had a grand opening on May 17 for Rabbit’s Foot Brewing Co.; they said the name is a mashup of Bewilder’s mascot (a “bewilderbeast,” aka jackalope) and Lucky 13’s name.

They’re not quite to the point of brewing beer at Rabbit’s Foot proper — prices for brewing equipment have skyrocketed due to tariffs on stainless steel, McKendrick said. In the meantime, Bewilder is brewing Rabbit’s Foot beers like the Beach Bunny Cerveza, Hare of the Dog IPA and Jack Rabbit Wheat that are served at the brewpub.

Their goal is to start brewing at Rabbit’s Foot once prices come down and the market stabilizes. At that point, they plan to slowly switch out the brewpub’s larger domestic beers with their own versions.

“Every brewery, every pub should be making beer that the community is into,” McKendrick said. “... I’m super excited to figure out what people out here really like to drink, and to brew it for them, and pair that with some really awesome food.”

Dutton has been updating the Penalty Box food menu in stages, launching a new pizza system, bringing in a selection of Lucky 13 burgers, and adding new items like fried Brussels sprouts and beer-battered cheese curds.

Over time, “food’s been more and more of a passion,” Dutton said. “There are more things that we wanted to do and I wanted to do, and so we’re bringing those onto the menu over here.”

To read more about my order at Rabbit’s Foot Brewing, check out the “Dish of the Week” section of this newsletter.

If you come to Rabbit’s Foot the night of an event at the Maverik Center, keep in mind that they’ll be serving a shorter food menu of burgers and appetizers. Arrive early to beat the crowds.

Rabbit’s Foot Brewing is open Monday through Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m., with the kitchen’s last call at midnight and the bar’s last call at 1 a.m. The brewpub also serves brunch on Saturday and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Live deliciously,

Kolbie

Food News

Openings:

• Potbelly, a sandwich chain from Chicago, opened a new location this week in Ogden, at 1321 N. Wall Ave., according to a publicist. In addition to sandwiches, Potbelly’s menu also features salads, soups, macaroni & cheese, milkshakes and cookies.Utahhas one other Potbelly location, in Sandy at 130 W. 10600 South.

Booze (and Drink!) News

• Every Tuesday in June, September and the beginning of October, dog lovers can bring their furry friends to Pups & Pints Trivia Night, a dog-themed trivia night happening from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Radisson Salt Lake City Downtown, at 215 S. West Temple. The event will be held on the pet-friendly patio at Copper Canyon Grill House & Tavern, and will feature local beers from Salt Flats Brewing Co.

• Tickets are on sale now for the fourth annual Deer Valley Mountain Beer Festival, happening Sept. 13-14, from noon to 5 p.m. The weekend event — accessible only by chairlift — will feature Utah beer, outdoor dining and live music, a news release said. Parking and check-in for the chairlift will be at Snow Park Lodge, at 2250 Deer Valley Drive South, in Park City. Ticket prices range from $35 for 21+ general admission to the $135 “imperial” package with VIP access. Nondrinkers of all ages can pay $15 for the alcohol-free experience.

Dish of the Week

At Rabbit’s Foot Brewing Co., they make Lucky 13 burgers exactly how they’re made at Lucky 13, same ingredients and everything, but with one difference: At Rabbit’s Foot, those burgers are made with a ½-pound Wagyu beef patty instead of Lucky 13’s (secret!) custom ground beef patty. It’s quite the upgrade, so juicy that my mouth is watering as I write this. I got The Fungus Amongus ($17), so my patty came dressed up with sauteed mushrooms and Swiss cheese — classic.

My favorite thing I tried, though, was the fried Brussels sprouts ($10), which, for a couple bucks more, came with chorizo crumbles. (By the way, Rob Dutton said they make that chorizo in-house, from wild boar, and it’s good stuff.) The meatiness from that chorizo goes with the Brussels sprouts really well, but what brought it all together for me is the elote crema on top, made with sour cream, lime juice, paprika and chili powder — zesty, smoky, creamy and delicious.

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RELATED STORIES

WEST VALLEY CITY — Ground was broken on Friday on the University of Utah Eccles Health Campus and Eccles Hospital in West Valley City, which aims to address health disparities, bolster a community and better connect patients with their caregivers.

The ceremony took place at Centennial Park, one block away from the future campus at 3750 S. 5600 West. It lined up with West Valley City's WestFest, an annual community celebration.

Dennis Menjivar, a resident of West Valley City and current student at the U. medical school, said patients will have the ability to receive care, including specialty care, "right next door" rather than driving 25 or 30 minutes to the University of Utah. He said that drive makes people less likely to schedule primary care or follow-up appointments — which he said can lead to missed complications.

"Having something right here I think is going to be huge," Menjivar said.

As someone who is Hispanic, Menjivar said he recognizes it's important to have health professionals understand a patient's culture to help address them respectfully and understand hesitations and concerns with treatment options.

He said student opportunities to learn at the new facility will teach them cultural sensitivity. He said the experience will help them be more careful about how they approach offering treatments, as they recognize cultural, financial or insurance concerns and address them.

Menjivar got involved in the planning for the hospital in 2021 while he was a medical assistant and still deciding if he wanted to go to medical school. He said doing something to help the community has been important to him.

He said things slowed down because they did not have funding until the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation donated $75 million to the project.

A partnership

U. President Taylor Randall said in a press release about the event that the university has benefited from the Eccles family's "visionary leadership" and is proud of their partnership, which has also helped fund the new School of Medicine building.

"Now, the Eccles family has stepped up again, continuing that momentum with a new facility that expands health care access, creates opportunity, and deepens our shared commitment to serving Utah. We're deeply proud to reach this milestone together," he said.

Spencer F. Eccles, chairman and CEO of the foundation, also said they are proud to continue the partnership.

"This beautiful state-of-the-art hospital will bring together expert medical providers and educators, top-notch medical students, and, most importantly, the wonderful people of this vibrant community. We couldn't be more excited about the future — a future of better health and expanded opportunities for our west-side communities," he said.

The new facility will have 130 patient beds, 200 exam rooms in outpatient clinics, a helipad and multiple specialties. Construction on the facility will be led by Okland Construction, which is collaborating on the project with MHTN Architects and CannonDesign.

'A win-win'

Gina Hawley, COO of hospitals and clinics with U. Health, said the groundbreaking is momentous for the organization. She said there is excitement about providing much-needed services to a community with health care disparities, noting a life expectancy difference between West Valley City and Salt Lake City.

She said only 1 out of every 10 inpatient beds in the area is on the west side of I-15.

Hawley has been helping organize designs, staffing and other logistics that come with starting a new hospital and medical school campus. She said this is the first community hospital the university will have off campus, and one of U. Health's largest facilities.

She said medical students are excited for rotations there to get experience with different communities.

"It's just a win-win from all sides when our students have the ability to have different rotations. ... It provides a more fulfilling experience," she said.

Community investment

Hawley said this facility will bolster an already thriving community and help open up space at other health care facilities in the county. She said they are still fundraising for the facility but have support through the health system and feel good about moving forward.

She said when someone's health is bad, it makes it harder to work and has an impact on their life. She said the new facility will help address this and other societal issues by providing 2,000 new jobs, education, a community space and other opportunities.

Menjivar said he is hoping to mentor high school students, and the many career opportunities associated with the future hospital will help them find different things they can do. He said he hopes the new facility will open doors for local students.

"More than anything, I'd love to see people expand their horizons and just go into something professional," he said.

He also said he hopes to work at the hospital — it should be completed while he is still finishing school, and he could do rotations or residency there, or come back after to work as a graduate.

"I think that's what makes me so optimistic and so happy to be a part of this school, is that ... they're seeing it as investment in the community, and I hope to see a lot of pathways for students," Menjivar said.

The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.

HealthUtahSalt Lake County

Emily Ashcraft is a reporter for KSL.com. She covers issues in state courts, health and religion. In her spare time, Emily enjoys crafting, cycling and raising chickens.

More stories you may be interested in

The University of Utah Eccles Hospital and Health Campus is scheduled to open its first building by late 2028

Before Dennis Menjivar became a first-year medical student, he was a 5-year-old West Valley City resident who had to watch his dad drive miles to the east, past Interstate 15, to take his grandfather to medical appointments at the University of Utah’s Huntsman Cancer Institute.

That experience helped shape his life goals then, and now that he’s 25 years old, he also holds that memory as a crucial lesson on resilience and the importance of family support. But, at the same time, the trip was a reminder of disparities prevailing along the Wasatch Front, where I-15 has historically been a divider that has dictated where investment is located.

That’s about to change with the incoming Eccles Hospital and Health Campus, an 800,000-square-foot University of Utah project that’s set to bring the institution’s largest off-campus medical facility to the west side of the valley, with room for a multi-specialty health center offering 200 exam rooms and an emergency department, in addition to an in-patient hospital with 130 rooms. The campus also means that Menjivar will have the chance to serve his own community as a doctor.

“First and foremost, it’s a place of healing, but it will be more than that,” Menjivar said during a groundbreaking ceremony for the facility on Friday. “This hospital is going to bring us closer to health care. It’s going to bring access to our community, more opportunity for jobs, for increased representation and for trust.”

Combined, West Valley residents travel over 12 million miles a year for treatment since specialty health care isn’t much available in their communities. Nine out of 10 in-patient beds in Salt Lake County are also on the east side of I-15, according to Gina Hawley, chief operating officer for University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics.

“Studies have shown that where you don’t have health care closer to a community, that’s easily accessible, that’s provided by providers and staff members that are from that community, that know that community well, you actually have worse outcomes in the long term, which is why it’s so important for us to have a hospital and clinic out in West Valley,” Hawley said.

West-siders face health disparities, including life expectancies 10 years lower than their east-side counterparts, as well as a 44% greater prevalence of diabetes and a 38% higher prevalence of stroke, according to a U. report.

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“The biggest thing is it’s disconnected. There’s not one big health care system, like we have systems there, but nothing really feels like one big, interconnected system that has a lot of resources and a lot of access,” Menjivar told Utah News Dispatch. “It’s not to say that the hospitals (on the west side) are bad necessarily, or they’re not trying, but they just don’t have as much capacity as a place like the University of Utah does.”

The project had been a couple of years in the making, but Friday marked the official start of the building that promises to breach gaps in health care access in the valley. The multi-specialty center phase is scheduled to open in late 2028 and the in-patient hospital by 2029.

The hospital campus’ name was coined after a $75 million gift from George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation. But, the hospital is expected to fund most of its estimated $855 million budget with $800 million in bonds allocated by the Utah Legislature.

Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson, who grew up in Taylorsville said during the ceremony that, as a west-sider, she understands the importance of such a feat.

“U.S. News and World Report just ranked Utah the best state in the nation for the third year in a row. Now these are things that we love to brag about as leaders of the state, and they’re things we should brag about. They’re things to be very proud of,” Henderson said. “And in terms of health care, we are ranked high as well. Health care outcomes, we’re in top 10. But in health care accessibility, we’re 35 of 50. We can do better. We need to do better. We are going to do better.”

Apart from the accessibility solutions, the hospital is also meant to be a place reflective of the area, the most diverse in the state.

Community committees have repeatedly met, helping shape the vision for the campus — one that includes providers that look and sound like their neighbors, and place a special emphasis on different cultural sensitivities in the area.

During the event, University of Utah President Taylor Randall reflected on the community that has made time to connect with their new neighbors and help make this new facility a substantial asset for the area, and potentially, an important part of Utah doctors’ educational journey.

“These are the types of projects that, to me, are the reason I like to lead an educational institution, because they are projects that bring people together,” Randall said. “They are projects that make us wrestle with the hard problems of society, but they give us momentum and hope that what we will see in the future is something better than what we see today.”

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