By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
A review of safety concerns associated with Old Highway
91 was made for Juab County Commissioners by RB&G
Engineering Inc, Provo, Utah.
"We used twelve critical safety design standards
identified by the Utah Department of Transportation and the
American Association of State Highway and Transportation
Officials (AASHTO)," said Carl Cook, representing
RB&G.
"With existing traffic volumes and its current
designation as a rural collector, Old Highway 91 meets all
of the required safety criteria," he said. "However, as
traffic increases to the 2021 volumes, the lane widths must
correspondingly increase from 11 feet to 12 feet and the
shoulders must increase from 4 feet to 8 feet in order to
comply with the criteria."
It would be wise, he said, to begin using a pavement
width of 40 feet for the rehabilitation and reconstruction
of Old Highway 91.
The pavement survey was conducted, in general, in
accordance with the requirements outlined in the AASHTO
"Guide for Design of Pavement Structures" (I993).
"This procedure involves the completion of a drainage
survey and a condition (distress) survey," Cook said.
The drainage survey for Old Highway 91 reveals that
good pavement drainage exists along the west side of the
road and along the east side of the road in the area north
of the Young Living Farms complex.
However, the east side of the road from Mona for a
distance of 4.6 miles to the north has poor drainage
characteristics. There is also evidence that excess
irrigation water can pond within the area, creating a
potential for damage to the pavement structure.
A review has been made of various environmental
factors that might have an impact on the reconstruction of
Old Highway 91.
These have varying import, said Cook. For example,
there is a low to moderate potential for wintering bald
eagles to use the cottonwood trees along the roadway as
perch sites during winter feeding on the reservoir. This
would likely preclude any construction during the winter
months.
In addition, a number of utilities exist within the
roadway right of way. These utilities include natural gas,
communications, power and culinary water. Drainage
improvements proposed for construction will have some
impacts on those facilities. Necessary relocations will need
to be coordinated with the affected utility company.
The recommended future corridor plan for the north
Juab Valley area is identified in this report as Alternative
No. 3. This alternative includes an I-15 interchange at 3800
North; a frontage road along the east side of I-15 extending
from the Mona Interchange to 3800 North; and an access road
to connect the new interchange to Old Highway 91.
"Although the selection of 3800 North as the site for
a future interchange does not provide the best access for
traffic associated with the existing Westroc gravel pit, it
is the preferred location for a freeway access to
accommodate future development in the north Juab Valley
area," Cook told the commission.
An interchange at 3800 North will be located more
nearly at the midpoint between the existing freeway
interchanges at Mona and South Santaquin.
This site would be the most appropriate for future
residential or commercial growth in the corridor. The
connecting road from the interchange to Old Highway 91, in
combination with the proposed frontage road along the east
side of I-15, will provide excellent access to the
undeveloped areas between I-15 and the foothills, he
said.
'It will also provide a more direct route for visitors
to the existing Young Living Farms complex, for potential
users of Mona Reservoir and for residents of planned
developments in that area," Cook said.
He said that, because of the severity of the distress
in most of the roadway segments, it was determined that
rehabilitation would cost nearly as much or, in some cases,
more than reconstruction. Significant portions of the
surface would need to be excavated full depth and
replaced.
The only segment where rehabilitation appears to be an
appropriate strategy is in Segment 1. Therefore, the
recommended strategy for the repair of Segment I is
rehabilitation and for Segments 2 through 7 is complete
reconstruction.
The costs required to complete the recommended plan
for Old Highway 91, presented by roadway segment, are:
Segment 1&emdash;$646,650; 2&emdash;$1,293,300;
3&emdash;$1,559,250; 4&emdash;$1,769,850;
5&emdash;$2,407,050; 6&emdash;$1,274,400;
7&emdash;$951,750.
"At the present time there is neither justification
for the proposed freeway interchange at 3800 North, nor
available funding" said Cook. Eventual construction of this
interchange, the associated connecting road to Old Highway
91 and the recommended frontage road should be placed on the
County long-range roadway master plan for the area.
"Selection of the site at this time will allow right
of way to be preserved, which will result in a reduction of
total project costs when development occurs and the
interchange is needed," he said.
The frontage road from 1800 North near the Westroc
gravel pit extending south to the Mona Interchange would
provide an alternate route for heavy trucks which access the
pit.
While any available funding should be applied first to
the reconstruction of Old Highway 91, he said, it may be
possible to complete some construction on this access road
using alternative sources of funding.
The existing gravel pit operation, as well as other
property owners along the east side of the freeway, would
benefit greatly from the proposed frontage road. Those who
would receive this benefit could be approached to see if
they are willing to provide the right of way or donate some
of the work and materials necessary to construct it.
"Juab County has made application and received
approval in the amount of $2,145,262.00 for construction
work on Old Highway 91," Cook said.
The federal funding is included on the Statewide
Transportation improvement Program (STIP) in the concept
development phase. While this funding is insufficient to
complete the entire reconstruction at this time, it will be
possible to complete a significant portion of the
project.
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