STATE ROUTE 73
CORRIDOR PLANNING STUDY
1. What were the results of the Corridor Planning Study?
- The Freeway with Frontage Roads concept performed the best based on preliminary evaluation of several possible transportation concepts and stakeholder outreach.
2. Why are transportation improvements needed along S.R. 73?
- Eagle Mountain and the surrounding areas in northern Utah County are experiencing rapid growth that is expected to continue. This means more demands on the local transportation network.
- To accommodate the anticipated travel demands, the Mountainland Association of Governments’ Regional Transportation Plan identifies the need to widen S.R. 73 to six lanes between Ranches Parkway in Eagle Mountain and Pioneer Crossing in Saratoga Springs by 2024 and to build a full freeway with frontage roads system with a trail from Eagle Mountain Blvd. to Pioneer Crossing in Saratoga Springs by 2034.
- The Corridor Planning Study showed a need for a freeway in this area even sooner.
3. Why did the Corridor Planning Study recommend the Freeway with Frontage Roads concept?
- The Freeway with Frontage Roads concept best addresses congestion, accommodates transit, bike lane and trail improvements, minimizes impacts to existing properties and preserves access to existing developments.
4. Why did UDOT conduct a preliminary Corridor Planning Study before the State Environmental Study (SES)?
- As the S.R. 73 area is experiencing rapid development, UDOT, Eagle Mountain and other stakeholders needed to start as early as possible to preserve land for an appropriate corridor.
- The Corridor Planning Study helped UDOT work with stakeholders early to prevent, where possible, property development that could be in the path of a future project.
- In addition, the preliminary study helped the study team build stakeholder relationships and learn stakeholder needs to enhance the SES process.
5. Why did the Corridor Planning Study recommend the Freeway with Frontage Roads design and width?
The recommended design and width:
- Effectively addresses congestion through 2040 based on long-range population and travel forecasting.
- Preserves the width needed for both short- and long-term transportation needs.
- The width will accommodate both frontage roads and the freeway in the short-term and allow for future freeway expansion without further impacts to adjacent property owners.
- Accommodates varied travel needs in the area.
- The lower-speed frontage roads maintain access to local roads while the middle freeway lanes allow commuters to bypass local roads and reduce congestion.
- Accommodates future transit and is compatible with frontage road bike lanes and trail improvements.
- Provides sufficient separation between the frontage roads and freeway.
- This eliminates the need to build expensive soil-retaining walls that would require future maintenance and replacement.
STATE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY
1. Why is a State Environmental Study (SES) needed?
- The SES is necessary to document the potential benefits and impacts of proposed improvements and to determine a preferred alignment for a future Freeway with Frontage Roads system.
- The SES is also needed to fulfill all required environmental clearances, allocate funding and preserve land to build the preferred alignment.
- In addition, it provides decision-makers with the necessary information to prioritize projects while considering the anticipated benefits and impacts.
2. What are some environmental considerations that the SES will assess?
- Air quality
- Bicycle and pedestrian access
- Residential and commercial property impacts
- Economic development
- Hazardous materials
- Historic structures
- Land use
- Noise
- Potential construction impacts
- Social (e.g., emergency services, neighborhood unity and community character)
- Wildlife
3. What are some transportation considerations that the SES will assess?
- Safety
- Bicycle and pedestrian access
- Business and residential access
- Complex utility relocations
- Economic development plans
- Frontage road access
- Property values
- Regional growth
- School walking routes
- Transit
- Travel delay and congestion
RELATED PROJECTS AND IDEAS
1. Why was the direct line of S.R. 73 taken away? Why do I need to turn left onto Crossroads Blvd. to continue to travel east on S.R. 73?
- Before the alignment of S.R. 73 to Pioneer Crossing, rapid growth caused significant east-west congestion on S.R. 73 between S.R. 68 and I-15. It was challenging to improve traffic there because that particular section of S.R. 73 is primarily a two-lane highway (one lane in each direction).
- In addition, the S.R. 68/Pioneer Crossing intersection was experiencing significant congestion.
- In 2015, UDOT aligned S.R. 73 with Pioneer Crossing to improve long-term traffic flow on S.R. 73 and reduce delays at the S.R. 68/Pioneer Crossing intersection. The alignment moved traffic to Pioneer Crossing, which is already a multi-lane highway between S.R. 68 and I-15.
- The current configuration of S.R. 73, Pioneer Crossing and Crossroads Blvd. is part of a phased plan to improve transportation facilities in the area.
- The full benefits of the alignment of S.R. 73 to Pioneer Crossing will be realized once UDOT completes additional planned projects in the area, including the Mountain View Corridor. The future Mountain View Corridor connection to S.R. 73 will help alleviate congestion at the S.R. 73/Crossroads Blvd. intersection.
2. How will the improved S.R. 73 corridor tie into the future Mountain View Corridor (MVC)?
- The S.R. 73 corridor will tie into the future MVC via a system-to-system interchange that allows free-flow connections between the two facilities..
3. Why aren’t we building an improvement by the Camp Williams area? Why wasn’t that idea considered in the Corridor Planning Study?
- The idea for an improved roadway near Camp Williams did not meet the project purpose and need.
- Other transportation concepts better reduce congestion and maintain access to existing developments.
- A transportation improvement at the Camp Williams property would be too far away to eliminate the need to widen S.R. 73.
PROPERTY ACQUISITION
1. When will I know if a future project will affect my property?
- The purpose of the SES is to research possible impacts of a future project and determine an alignment that will have the fewest impacts to the surrounding community and environment.
- The study team will be able to identify which properties will be affected once it determines a preferred alignment.
- UDOT expects to identify a preferred alignment in the spring of 2018 and will then present anticipated property impacts at a public hearing.
- Where possible, UDOT and Eagle Mountain City have coordinated to preserve land for a future corridor and prevent property development that could be in the path of a future project. UDOT will continue to coordinate with stakeholders throughout the SES process.
2. How soon will homes be purchased once an alignment is chosen?
- Property acquisition timing will depend on when funding is allocated for corridor preservation and when construction begins. No construction funding has been identified.
- The Mountainland Association of Governments’ (MAG) Regional Transportation Plan identifies the need to build the first phase of construction by 2024.
3. Is it possible for UDOT to purchase my property before funding is allocated for corridor preservation and before construction is scheduled to begin?
- UDOT has already purchased some properties adjacent to S.R. 73, through the Corridor Preservation Process, due to circumstances that UDOT considered on a case-by-case basis. Timing for acquisition of remaining, affected properties will depend on when funding is allocated for corridor preservation and when construction begins.
- If property owners would like UDOT to purchase their property before funding is allocated for corridor preservation and before construction begins, they may appeal to UDOT and the Utah Transportation Commission through the Corridor Preservation Process.
- Information about the process, including eligibility requirements, is available here.
4. Where do I find more information about UDOT’s property acquisition process?
- You can find information about UDOT’s property acquisition process on the UDOT website.
WILDLIFE
1. How will UDOT consider and preserve wildlife when identifying a preferred alignment?
- The study team will research impacts to wildlife as part of the State Environmental Study.
- UDOT is coordinating with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) to identify the best options to accommodate wildlife such as migration routes, underpasses, culverts etc.
NOISE
1. How will UDOT address noise on this project?
- UDOT will conduct a noise study as part of the State Environmental Study. If the study finds that noise mitigation measures are reasonable and feasible, based on UDOT’s noise policy, UDOT will conduct a balloting process to determine if affected property owners and residents are in favor. If all noise analysis criteria are met and those affected are in favor, UDOT will implement noise mitigation measures, such as sound walls, as part of the roadway project.
2. Where can I review UDOT’s full noise policy?
- You can find UDOT’s noise policy here.
