From Deseret News archives:
Road plans cause alarm
More than 100 at meet in American Fork attack outline
More than 100 American Fork residents complained Tuesday night about several roads that are included in the city's master transportation plan. Tuesday's gathering came on the heels of another meeting three weeks ago when hundreds of Highland residents opposed conceptual plans that would widen 9600 North in their city.
The same road, known as 1500 North in American Fork, is causing concern in American Fork with residents who say the road will only help residents of nearby towns.
"Are we not allowing the tail to wag the dog here?" American Fork resident Donald Boyle asked city officials. "Developers will develop land outside of our city, yet we feel that we need to make it easier for other residents of other cities to make it to the freeway. I wonder why we have to bear the burden to make it easier for them to travel across our city."
City leaders disagree with the majority of comments that echoed Boyle's sentiment. Public Works Director Howard Denney said the city's transportation plans are necessary to cope with an unavoidable increase in population as growth continues.
"We're not (planning roads) for the developers, we're doing it for us," Denney said. "We're doing it so we can get to the destinations we want to get to in a reasonable time and in a reasonable manner."
City leaders organized the public hearing Tuesday because some of the consternation from residents in Highland has "filtered into American Fork," said American Fork City Engineer Andy Spencer. Also, in a recent poll of about 400 residents, road issues were listed as the No. 1 improvement residents would like to see in the next five years.
Residents primarily complained about plans to expand 1500 North, 900 East, 1120 North, 1100 East and 50 South. In most cases, the roads run through residential areas, in front of schools or near parks. The city's master plan calls for most of the roads to be connected to larger collectors to create an overall east/west/north/south grid system for the city, but many residents at the meeting asked for the roads to be removed from the plan.
That's not likely to happen any time soon, Spencer said. The plan, which is usually revised every five years, was most recently updated in 2004.
On the other hand, most of the city's roads that are causing contention won't be built any time soon, either.
The only road funded so far is 50 South, which will be widened. Before construction on the road can begin, however, the city needs to get more money. Inflation has increased the road's cost past initial estimates.
Some of the other roads can still be evaluated and changed — or not built — but the chances that all of the roads will be wiped from the plan are slim, Spencer said.
"We are mandated to have a plan to determine how to handle our city's transportation needs," Spencer said. "For us to say, 'What if one road doesn't get built?' maybe that won't completely break down the transportation system. If all of them don't get built, then we have some transportation concerns."
E-mail: achoate@desnews.com
