SPRINGVILLE — City officials hope to persuade the Utah Department of Transportation to install a viaduct over a set of railroad tracks that often causes traffic to back up on the main road between I-15 and Springville's downtown.
A delegation of Springville leaders is scheduled to make the city's case before UDOT on Feb. 10. Springville is asking for $8 million for the viaduct on U-77 (Springville's 400 South) at about 400 West. Trains on railroad tracks there cause traffic jams on 400 South, especially during the morning and afternoon commutes.
Trains sit on the tracks for up to 20 minutes while railroad cars needing repair are unloaded at a nearby maintenance depot, said Bert Oakey, Springville public works director. Much of the train traffic involves coal being transported from Price to a power plant in Delta.
Springville's 400 South is one of two freeway interchanges that service the growing town of about 20,000 residents as well as neighboring Mapleton and recreational traffic to Hobble Creek Canyon. Eventually, Springville plans to ask UDOT to upgrade the 400 South interchange.
The road itself likely will have to be widened from two to five lines eventually, city officials say. The city hopes to establish 400 South as a commercial corridor. Plans for a Wal-Mart in that area are being formulated. Construction on the Wal-Mart could begin as soon as this spring, with a scheduled completion date of spring 2001.
Like many Utah cities seeking funds, Springville hopes to use the 2002 Winter Olympics as a bargaining tool in its favor. The Springville Museum of Art has been chosen to host art exhibits as part of the Cultural Olympiad program that will accompany athletic competitions.
The Museum of Art is at 126 E. 400 South. Access from I-15 requires passage over the railroad tracks.
"If you're an Olympic venue and you've got a set of railroad tracks blocking access to get there, that's not good," City Administrator Cameron Gunter told the City Council this week.
As Springville's growth spreads to the west side of the freeway, city officials are increasingly concerned about providing emergency services. Fire trucks and police cars coming from the public safety building on Main Street could be delayed if there's a train sitting on the tracks.
Springville Mayor Hal Wing will use traffic counts, accident reports and pictures of traffic backups when he makes the plea for the viaduct to UDOT officials.