New east-west Utah County route urged

EAGLE MOUNTAIN — The havoc wreaked in the wake of the winter storm that walloped the Wasatch Front last Wednesday underscored to many the need for another east-west corridor in north Utah County.

Hundreds of people were stranded while trying to get to Saratoga Springs or Eagle Mountain. Complaints were loud as residents who were on state Route 73 or roads connecting to it were forced to either camp in cars or find shelter at local businesses.

Many say that more than one road than state Route 73, which also is known as Lehi's Main Street, is needed to get to the two cities that combined are home to some 35,000 people.

The Mountainland Association of Governments and the Utah Department of Transportation both have studies looking at alternatives to the heavy congestion on many of the northern Utah County roads. No plans, however, are under way.

And the lack of plans to build another road directing traffic to the cities west of Utah Lake concerns Eagle Mountain Mayor Heather Jackson.

"I feel that for too many years it's been a lot of talk and no action," Jackson said. "MAG said, 'We'll put it at the top of our list.' UDOT says, 'We know it's a priority. We'll get it done.'"

The major obstacle in the way of a new east-west corridor is money.

"The question is: How do we find money to build the projects we've planned?" said Shawn Seager, a senior planner with MAG.

In a January meeting, MAG's Metropolitan Planning Organization discussed planned road projects in Utah, $7 billion of which are unfunded.

Several roads in discussion, such as the Mountain View Corridor, wouldn't necessarily ease the tension from Lehi's Main Street, the only main thoroughfare to Eagle Mountain and Saratoga Springs.

A UDOT project on 1000 South in Lehi that will extend from American Fork's Main Street to Redwood Road in Saratoga Springs will relieve some of the congestion on Lehi's Main Street, Seager said.

The project will begin sometime this year. However, most travelers to Eagle Mountain will still have to merge onto state Route 73 to reach the city. Seager said MAG has plans to widen and expand Pony Express Parkway in Eagle Mountain to Redwood Road, but so far that remains unfunded. Both MAG and Jackson are looking to pursue federal funds, in the form of grants, to help pay for the Pony Express Parkway project.

That road would allow drivers to Eagle Mountain to bypass state Route 73.

It also takes quite a bit of time to get from idea to pavement.