Federal water project impacts Springville residents, traffic

SPRINGVILLE — Living in a federal construction project along 400 East is fun for the kids but extra work for Jennifer Soter.

"It's mostly muddy, and on warm days, it's dusty," the Springville homemaker said.

Soter's block was among those torn up by construction crews in January to begin laying a 60-inch water pipe to carry pressurized Strawberry Reservoir water from Diamond Fork Canyon to Salt Lake County.

The work has passed the Soter house, but the street remains unpaved. She wonders aloud whether her block will get curbs and gutters.

"We've been hoping," Soter said.

So has Springville city administrator Troy Fitzgerald.

"We've submitted a change order request to the Central Utah Water Conservancy District, and we're waiting for numbers back … to see if we can afford it," Fitzgerald said.

Curbs, gutters and sidewalks could go the entire length of the street where they are now missing if the cost is favorable, operations manager Rod Oldroyd said.

When crews were working in front of Soter's house, her kids "had a ball playing in the big piles of dirt," she said.

But that also meant the dirt tracked into the house, and the family had to work to keep the outside clean. Construction equipment blocked the Soters' driveway for two weeks in January, but after talking with workers, the equipment was moved.

"They've been good to work with, and they're friendly with the kids," Soter said of the workers.

The roadway, landscaping and irrigation will be restored later, construction officials say.

Meanwhile, residents are dealing with unscheduled water shutoffs as crews replace aging water lines as part of the project. Residents have been advised to keep water on hand for emergencies. City crews have been knocking on neighborhood doors to warn residents of shutoffs.

Beginning April 12, the intersection of 400 South and 400 East is expected to close for about three weeks.

Four construction crews are working on the 400 East project, usually between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. Few alternate routes are available, leaving motorists to discover new ways to avoid the usually busy street.

Businesses at the 400 South and 400 East intersection are open and accessible, officials say, and Utah Transit Authority bus routes that normally travel along 400 East have shifted to 200 East between 400 North and 400 South.

Weekly construction information and updates for the yearlong project are available at www.springvillepipeline.com. For more information, e-mail info@springvillepipeline.com or call 801-360-6528.

e-mail: rodger@desnews.com