Greetings!

As most of you know, we held an Open House at the Three Mile Creek Elementary School last Thursday, Sept. 6 to discuss the Utah Department of Transportation project on Highway 89 from 1100 South to 3000 South in Brigham City and Perry. The project will add or improve curb/gutter/sidewalk and improve drainage and roadway surface. The project will be advertised for a contractor/engineer team in December. Construction will likely begin in the late spring, and last through summer, 2008.

Over 60 people attended the open house, and many Highway 89 property owners and others sat down with project engineers and managers to discuss their individual concerns. Many attendees also filled out comment cards and participated in the Q&A (question and answer) session. Specific issues raised by the public are included below, with responses.

The project team is currently working with property owners to determine how accesses will be modified and improved along the highway. Property owners' interests are being considered along with state access management rules that regulate how far apart and how wide accesses can be. Preliminary configurations are being drawn up this month and will be brought back to property owners for further consideration.

Public Comments & Questions

The public raised some issues that will be addressed by this project, and others that are relevant to Perry City's future planning.

Issues that will be addressed by this project:

• requests for a wide, paved shoulder for bikers and joggers
• control of accesses on and off the highway
• improved drainage
• process for coordinating underground utility work on developments in the future

Issues that are addressed in Perry City's Master Transportation Plan

• future signals at specific intersections
• speeds on city streets
• crosswalks and/or pedestrian overpass

Responses to Public Comments & Questions 

Wide shoulders/bike lanes for bikers/joggers

The shoulders will be safer and more comfortable for bicyclists because they will be paved and re-graded to the curb from 1100 South to 3000 South.

Control of accesses on and off the highway

One objective of this project is to improve safety by managing where people will be able to exit and enter the highway. This will likely include defining accesses, providing deceleration lanes where appropriate, re-grading the road where there are notable elevation changes, and in some cases squaring off side streets that connect to Highway 89 at an angle.

Noise-reducing pavement

The current plan is for the road to be re-paved with the same seal it currently has, which is already one of the quietest options. It is not clear whether a different seal would make a difference in the noise level, but UDOT is willing to consider the option if the project budget and other limitations allow for it.

Improved drainage

The curb and gutter system will channel runoff to catch basins and run into storm drains. The location of the storm water outfall points are yet to be determined.

Process for coordinating underground utility work

If property owners or developers know what their utility needs will be in the next couple of years, they are encouraged to contact the project team (see contact info below) to determine whether the infrastructure can be coordinated at the same time this project is taking place. UDOT will also coordinate with Perry City and utility companies in the area.

Signals, speed limit reduction, crosswalks

Perry City and UDOT expect that by providing defined accesses and curb, gutter, and sidewalk, Highway 89 will improve safety for both pedestrians and motorists. As Mayor Nelson stated in the Open House, the City views this UDOT project as a first step of many toward increasing safety and traffic mobility along Highway 89. The City's Transportation Master Plan includes speed and traffic studies, and other measures to address these issues. The City will have a public hearing on the updated Plan in the City Council Chambers at 3005 South 1200 West in Perry at 7:00 pm on Thursday, October 4, 2007. Anyone is welcome to attend.

Contact us

The project team is interested in what you have to say! Please contact me at the numbers or email below anytime. I will send periodic updates like this as the project progresses. If you do not wish to receive these updates, simply email or call and I will be happy to remove your email from the list.

Thanks,

Carri