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Summit County Council defines new road projects

Summit County recently received the final report for the Snyderville Basin Long-Range Transportation Plan.

Fehr&Peers submitted their final report last month and provided two categories for temporary traffic and transit solutions: infrastructure and non-structural strategies.

The infrastructure projects the consultants suggested in their final report mirror the recommendations presented in the 2009 Snyderville Basin Master Plan, Summit County Engineer Leslie Crawford said.

According to the County Courthouse staff report, some of the infrastructure projects that were suggested and are tentatively scheduled are:

  • Widening of Landmark Drive to four lanes from Walmart to the factory stores: scheduled for 2017
  • Kimball Transit Hub: scheduled for construction 2015-2016
  • Connect Silver Creek to Bitner Road: scheduled for 2016

Additional infrastructure projects that were suggested are:

  • Jeremy Ranch exit and roundabouts at the frontage roads: a study is currently underway that is jointly funded by the Utah Department of Transportation and Summit County
  • An overpass at Ute Boulevard to eliminate the intersection with State Road 224
  • A new Interstate 80 off-ramp at the High Ute view area and I-80
  • Pedestrian underpass at S.R. 224 and Silver Springs
  • Extend Landmark Drive to Bear Hollow

The final transportation report also includes other alternative transportation ideas the county could implement that are not structural improvements.

The strategies are:

  • Guaranteed ride home program: employers and taxis would develop a program and the county would identify funding and/or negotiate cost-sharing parameters
  • Reduced-cost transit passes: employers and new developments would provide reduced cost monthly passes for UTA service to and from SLC
  • Carpool incentives: the county would develop a carpool incentive by managing the financial incentives
  • Ride-sharing program: the county would create a regional ride share program through internet or phone applications

According to Crawford, the proposals suggested "align very well with what county staff has come up with during brainstorming sessions."

"When we come back in one month with our update, we will have a work plan in place that will consist of the project/strategy, its priority, and the cost to implement it," Crawford said, adding that county staff will also present ideas on how to establish a Citizen Advisory Committee.

"We’re continuing our efforts to put together a short-range master plan and will be looking at the next six months," Crawford said. "We will be looking at a capital facilities plan for the next five years and identify funding. We will be updating that regularly so maybe we don’t need the infrastructure improvements. It’s a continued effort and I’m excited to see what we can do."

County Council member Roger Armstrong said it’s time to identify the problem and find reasonable, short-term solutions.

"How do we deal with that 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. problem?" Armstrong asked. "Let’s put all our tools on the table and talk about big busses, small busses, vans, cars, trams, and gondolas. How do we fit all those pieces together?"

Summit County Council members received the initial recommendations from Fehr&Peers in early January and weren’t pleased with the results.

Since then, the Summit County engineering and planning departments have met on a weekly basis to brainstorm some short-term solutions to the county’s current traffic problem. They are submitting their progress to the County Council monthly.

Summit County


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