Update

In the past few months, American Fork city staff suggested that fill from the canyon secondary-water reservoir be moved for use in the Mitchell Hollow Crossing on 1120 North. Plans were made to place both water lines and secondary-water lines across the hollow with culverts for future trails. It came to a vote in a City Council Meeting (to spend approximately $120,000 to bring the fill into the hollow). The motion ultimately passed with 3 for, 2 against.

Prior to this motion and since the city-council meeting, several citizens had been working with the city trying to make sure that safety considerations were being addressed as well as design issues. We met in a small resident meeting last winter and again in an informal meeting.

In the second meeting, city staff presented a plan to take the trails over the road instead of underneath. We had a lot of concerns regarding the safety of this plan. We were not given the option to present alternatives, but instead were allowed to troubleshoot the city-staff plan. They did engage our concerns about finishing 900 West, placing a light at 700 N. and 900 W. and AFJH safety - as well as overall road safety. We left with a plan that still had some issues, but felt like we had done all that we could.

A change order came forward in a March City Public Hearing. Unfortunately we had missed the publicity for this meeting and only I was able to attend. Included in this change order were also the placement of a culvert and placement of the water lines for a total of around $433,000. Funds would be taken from secondary water, road repair, the utility department as well as other sources. The motion was seconded and then the second was rescinded when the council members realized the additional costs and plans that had been included in the motion. A revised motion for just some placement of the fill was put on the table and passed with 3 for, 1 against.

The city staff is eager to place those water lines. It will be a short amount of time before the additional motions are re-voted upon. We are eager to bring all ideas to the table. The fill is currently being placed in the hollow. The main issue left to decide is the design of the crossing and the trail crossings.

Our concerns continue to be overall safety. We have loose promises from the city that they will finish 900 West; place a light at 700 North and 900 West; address safety issues in front of AFJH; and include speed slowing measures for this stretch of 1120 North.

Some current suggestions have culverts placed under the road for future trails. A concern with this idea is that empty and unused culverts will attract crime to the area. We would like to ultimately see trails put in place at the same time as the culverts OR the culverts sufficiently blocked off to prevent kids from getting into these areas. The city thinks, though, that trails will not be functional until 2015. In this case another option has been explored to take the trail over the road with a promised crosswalk with stop light (not just flashing lights). Still a culvert would be placed and would potentially be a danger spot in the meantime.

Other ideas include placing a cross-walk bridge; placing a large suspension bridge; or just laying the water lines under the wetlands and doing nothing right now. Each one of these ideas have both pros and cons.