The July edition of The Eagle’s View is ready for your enjoyment. This month, we learn about burrowing owls living near the city, prepare for back-to-school season and digest what it means to shop local. Read here.
Eagle Mountain drivers may soon notice added convenience during rush hour traffic.
The lengthening of the left turn lane at the intersection of westbound Pony Express Pkwy. and Ranches Pkwy. is scheduled to begin July 25.
The intersection regularly reports traffic back-ups due to the high volume of vehicles waiting to turn left onto northbound Ranches Pkwy., particularly during rush hour.
Chris Trusty, Eagle Mountain City engineer, says that not only are such back-ups inconvenient, but they also present safety concerns.
“It would be considered a safety hazard because of the back-up that [it has],” says Trusty. “Cars may not always realize that the car in front of them is going to stop in the through lane because they’re trying to get over to turn left.”
Beginning July 25, crews will work to lengthen the left-turn lane by 180 ft., bringing its total length to 340 ft. By lengthening the lane, City engineers hope to mitigate back-ups at the intersection.
Trusty says that lengthening the left-turn lane on eastbound Pony Express Pkwy. should alleviate some of the safety concerns.
According to Trusty, the turn lane expansion work is part of a larger project to improve four intersections throughout the city. The total project budget for the four intersections is about $2 million. The budget for the Pony Express Pkwy. and Ranches Pkwy. intersection improvements is a small portion of that, estimated at $110,000.
“We wanted to do it as part of a [large] project because it’s such a small project,” says Trusty. “We decided to include this as part of our signal package…We get better prices if it’s part of a larger project.”
Throughout the duration of construction, one lane will be closed in both directions on Pony Express Pkwy. Residents are encouraged to find alternate routes to help alleviate traffic congestion during the construction period.
Work is anticipated for completion prior to Aug. 15 to ensure a smooth flow of traffic for the beginning of the school year on Aug. 16.
Residents who have questions about the lengthening of the left-turn lane or the intersection improvement project can reach out to Engineer-in-training Bryce McRae at bmcrae@emcity.org.
The June edition of The Eagle’s View newsletter is ready for your enjoyment. This month, we learn about summer safety, the wildflower superbloom and dive into Small Area Plans. Read here.
Construction related to the Smith Ranch Park expansion project began in mid-May.
In addition to expanding the area of the park, a new playground, skatepark and ninja course are also included in the project plans.
“After this is developed the whole park will be about a 16-acre park,” says Brad Hickman, director of Parks and Recreation with Eagle Mountain City.
The park is situated adjacent to Pony Express Elementary School.
According to Hickman, the park was designed with the nearby Tickville Wash, and its native vegetation, in mind. Accommodation for local plant and animal species allows the native areas that border the wash to remain largely undisturbed.
Any areas of the wash that are affected by construction will be replanted with native vegetation upon construction completion, according to Hickman.
Recently released renderings of the park include a walking path that borders the Tickville Wash, connecting the east and west portions of the park.
Currently, Smith Ranch Park is known for its Exceptional Kids Playground, which is designed for children with adaptive needs. While this playground is planned to be removed as part of the expansion, Hickman says that the new playground will feature accessible equipment for individuals of all abilities.
“It’s going to be replaced with several other features that will be all-abilities,” Hickman says. “It’s going to be really friendly and usable for those with disabilities.”
The new playground will include play areas specifically designed for younger children, as well as play areas designed with older children in mind.
Unlike other municipal parks, the playground at Smith Ranch Park has been custom designed. Residents can expect a unique play experience as a result.
A skatepark has also been included as part of the park’s expansion. The future skatepark is partially funded by a $200,000 grant secured by Eagle Mountain City through the Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation. It will be the second skatepark within City limits.
The new skatepark will cater to residents of all skill levels, including those who are just beginning through advanced skateboarders. This state-of-the-art design will allow residents to progress their skills over time.
“We worked with the skate park community…and got feedback from them,” Hickman says. “And we got some feedback from some really involved parents in the community.”
For residents who are looking for a greater physical challenge, an X-treme Ninja Course is included in the plans for the park’s expansion. The course is planned to cater to a variety of athletic abilities.
The course will also include a timer so that participants can track their speed as they make their way through each obstacle.
Every aspect of Smith Ranch Park has been designed specifically with Eagle Mountain’s family-focused and physically active community in mind.
Hickman says that he anticipates construction will be completed on the park by spring 2024.
The May edition of The Eagle’s View newsletter is ready for your enjoyment. This month, we learn about snakes commonly found in the area during spring and discuss emergency communication plans with your family. Read here.
EM Blvd. restriping underway this week
To this point, weather has stymied the completion of work to repaint the lanes on Eagle Mountain Blvd.
That is about to change as contract workers are planning to begin work on Thursday of this week to apply paint to the roadway.
“I am looking forward to getting the traffic paint restriped” says Streets department manager Zac Hilton.
A section of Eagle Mountain Blvd. was widened in the summer of 2022 to accommodate projected increases in traffic flows in the area. As part of that project, the City intended to use the help of an outside firm to begin restriping.
City Engineer Chris Trusty has previously said he recognizes that the road was striped in less-than-ideal conditions after the widening project was completed last year.
“The road was a little bit dirty when we did it before and it was cold,” Trusty said. “And we don’t want to make that mistake again.”
Dirt on the roadway can prevent road paint from properly adhering to the pavement.
After noticing a change in the presence of the road paint last year, many residents began expressing their dissatisfaction on social media, and through formal complaints to the City that Eagle Mountain Blvd. was dangerous to drive.
“I drove that this morning in the rain! The lines at Aviator and EM Blvd are not visible at all! Striping needs to happen ASAP,” said Hillary Clark on social media.
“Breaking News: Eagle Mountain City not doing something that was promised…” said Richard Beers in another Facebook comment.
In response to earlier resident concerns, the City’s Street’s department installed reflective road tags to improve visibility. Still, Eagle Mountain City continues to respond to resident requests to complete the work.
“I understand resident’s concerns and frustration with the missing traffic paint,” says Hilton. “It has really been an issue between scheduling and dealing with poor weather.”
Delays surrounding the restriping of Eagle Mountain Blvd. can be attributed to factors such as cold weather and precipitation. Conditions must be consistently between 40-60 degrees at a minimum for three or four days before they’re considered optimal for restriping.
As a result, Hilton says the cost to risk restriping the roadway wasn’t worth it to the City and the taxpayer.
“If we would have attempted to re-stripe during these types of weather conditions, it wouldn’t have lasted,” says Hilton.
As work commences this week to complete repainting on Eagle Mountain Blvd., crews will be removing what is left of the existing paint, cleaning the road to ensure a lasting application and begin re-directing traffic. Due to mechanical issues earlier in the day on Thursday, the re-alignment portion of Eagle Mountain Blvd. will be rescheduled for Tuesday of next week.
The hope, according to Trusty, is that by waiting until conditions are appropriate, road paint will last for several years. Periodic touch-ups will be needed annually.
Eagle Mountain City Administrator Paul Jerome addressed Eagle Mountain resident’s concerns about the implementation of Comcast’s utility infrastructure. Read the letter here.
The April edition of The Eagle’s View is ready for your enjoyment. This month, we learn about the deer crossing on SR-73, flood preparedness and learn the meaning of crab mentality. Read here.
The Eagle Mountain Blvd. roundabout project has been delayed until further notice.
The project, which will replace the roundabout at Eagle Mountain Blvd. and Pony Express Pkwy. with a traffic signal, was postponed after the City rejected a bid that came in significantly over budget.
“It was almost double what we were thinking when the bid came back,” says Bryce Mcrae, Engineer in Training with Eagle Mountain City.
According to Mcrae, the overbudget bid was the only one the City received for the project.
“One of the main reasons why we rejected it was cost,” says Mcrae. “And then, the roundabout is still working right now.”
Even during busy times of the day, the roundabout still functions with a good level of service, says Mcrae. For this reason, the City’s Engineering department feels less pressure to complete the project urgently.
“We will do this project. It needs to be done,” says Mcrae. “But for the time being, it’s not a major concern.”
The project has been of significant interest to many residents in the Eagle Mountain City Citizens Facebook group, with several individuals voicing support for, or disapproval of, the project.
“Statistically speaking, roundabouts are significantly safer than traditional intersections. Fender benders will happen, yeah. But severe accidents at higher rates of speed are basically eradicated,” wrote one resident, Mandy Lane. “Paint the correct lines on it, post some ‘how to use the roundabout’ videos and keep it.”
“Stoplight[s] will be so much better long term, especially when they widen Pony Express,” another resident, Christopher Russell, said in favor of the project. “It’s not an if, but a when we’ll need a stoplight, and it’s better to do it now than wait until the city is twice the size in population.”
Mcrae says that the four-way traffic signal will allow for smoother flow of north and southbound traffic toward Meta, and east and westbound traffic on Eagle Mountain Blvd.
“Once a signal is in, you’re just going to have smoother flows and timing throughout that whole area,” he says.
According to Mcrae, the Engineering department does not have a firm timeline for when the roundabout will be replaced. However, Mcrae anticipates the project could be completed within the next few years.
In the meantime, the City will be focusing on the Eagle Mountain Intersection Improvement Project, which will make needed improvements to four major intersections throughout the city.
The project will replace the four-way stop sign at Major St. and Eagle Mountain Blvd. with a traffic signal, add a traffic signal at Stonebridge Ln. on Ranches Pkwy., add a signal at Woodhaven Blvd. and Pony Express and extend the length of the left turn lane on eastbound Pony Express toward Ranches Pkwy.
The Intersection Improvements Project is currently out for bid. Mcrae anticipates the bid will be awarded at the May 2 City Council meeting.
Assuming material availability, Mcrae says all four intersection projects should be completed by the middle of October this year.
Learn more about upcoming intersection improvement projects.
Preparations are underway for the 2023 Municipal Primary and General elections.
The Eagle Mountain Municipal General Election will be held in November of this year, but the City Recorder’s Office has been preparing since February.
Lianne Pengra, Chief Deputy Recorder with Eagle Mountain City, says that the Recorder’s Office is responsible for putting together a candidate orientation guide and information packet each election cycle.
“It basically lists every single important date that [candidates] are going to have from the time that they sign up to the time that they are sworn in,” says Pengra.
The Recorder’s Office updates the pamphlet each election cycle to reflect changes and decisions made during the state’s legislative session, held the beginning of each year, according to Pengra.
This year, three seats on the Eagle Mountain City Council will be up for election. The terms will run from 2024 through 2027.
The filing period for declaration of candidacy will begin June 1 and end on June 7 at 5 p.m.
Residents who are interested in becoming a candidate for municipal office must file a declaration of candidacy in-person with the City Recorder’s Office.
Prospective candidates must be U.S. citizens, at least 18 years old, registered to vote and must have lived in Eagle Mountain (or a recently annexed area) for at least 12 consecutive months prior to the election.
When the filing period for declaration of candidacy closes, the Recorder’s Office will determine if a primary election is necessary. If more than six candidates file to run for City Council, then a primary election will be held on Aug. 15 to determine the six candidates that will appear on the general election ballot.
Each election cycle, voter turnout is carefully measured on the municipal, county, state and federal levels. For last year’s 2022 General Election, Eagle Mountain voting precincts had an average voter turnout of 55.67%, compared to the county average of 62%, according to the Utah County Elections Division.
Pengra says mayoral elections usually have a larger voter turnout than elections for other municipal offices.
“The margins are there that every vote really does matter,” says Pengra, noting how the 2021 mayoral election was decided by 207 votes. “If you feel passionate about something and there’s a candidate that really stands for what you believe in, your vote matters,” she says.
Pengra also encourages students to get out and vote in the Eagle Mountain City Youth City Council election, which will take place May 9. A ballot box polling location will be placed at City Hall from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
“[Residents] can have their students get a jumpstart on the election season by bringing them [to City Hall] to vote,” Pengra says.
The voter registration deadline for the general municipal election in Eagle Mountain will be Oct. 27. Voter registration must be received by the Utah County Clerk before 5 p.m. that day.
Residents who are not registered to vote may still do so by casting a provisional ballot during the early voting period. If necessary, the voter registration deadline for the primary election will be Aug. 4 at 5 p.m.
Following the election on Nov. 7, newly-elected municipal officers will begin their terms at Noon on the first Monday of the new year, and will take their oath of office at the first City Council meeting in January.
For more information on Eagle Mountain municipal elections, visit the City’s Elections & Voting website.
