ORCHARD DRIVE FACES 3 SEASONS OF DISCONTENT

It could become the summer, fall and winter of Bountiful residents' discontent as crews start replacing one of the city's major thoroughfares in early July.

The $2.6 million Orchard Drive widening project is expected to keep some parts of the street closed from July 1 to Jan. 1. Some homeowners will be forced to park on side streets, endure crews working early morning and late-night hours, and motorists will be asked to find alternate routes.The two-lane road will be replaced by a concrete five-lane road - two lanes each direction and a left-turn lane - from Fifth South to 2250 South, Jack Balling, city engineer, said.

Construction will be done in eight sections. Each section is not expected to be closed for the entire construction period ranging from 14 to 25 days. Construction hours will be from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day except Sunday.

Balling said the extended construction hours are necessary in order to complete the project before January. "They (the residents) will just have to put their earplugs in," said Balling when asked about residents' sleep being interrupted.

"We encourage the property owners to park on the side streets during the construction period and to stay out of the construction zones. The concrete must cure seven days before traffic can drive on the surface," Balling said.

Full funding, including a $547,000 cost overrun, for the Orchard Drive project was approved after another stormy hourlong debate Thursday afternoon by the Wasatch Front Regional Council, a multicounty agency that allocates federal funds for road projects.

Sandy Mayor Steve Newton tried for two months to block the additional appropriation of federal funds, saying the project violated the Wasatch Front Regional Council's funding policy by exceeding a 10 percent cap on overruns.

The council members agreed the road project - which has ballooned from its original $1 million cost estimate a decade ago to over $5 million - has exceeded cost estimates but also agreed to the final appropriation.

The project will include the removal of all existing road surface, curb and gutter, sidewalks, power poles and street lights. The Federal Highway Administration will pay for 91 percent of the project cost. The city will pick up 9 percent of the tab.

The project will also include:

-New traffic signals at intersections with Fifth South, Mill Street and 18th South with mast-arm poles.

-An underground storm sewer from Mill Creek to 21st South with 37 inlet boxes.