Emigration Canyon council keeps 11-foot travel lanes after heated public comments on striping and surface

Emigration Canyon Community Council members voted to keep 11-foot travel lanes on the unstriped section below Merrifield Lane and directed county maintenance staff to repaint and correct striping errors after a lengthy public comment period and an engineering presentation.

The decision came after roughly two hours of public comment about lane width, resurfacing quality and cyclist behavior, and after MSD (Metropolitan Service District) engineering staff summarized relevant design guidance and recent crash- and traffic-count data. Tamara Woodland, engineering manager for MSD, said the engineering recommendation was “11 lane widths” based on AASHTO guidance and regional traffic volumes.

Why it matters: residents, commuters, cyclists and emergency responders all use Emigration Canyon Road; narrow lanes and unclear striping have heightened conflict, according to speakers. Council members said more work is needed on enforcement, education and on the road surface itself before pursuing narrower travel lanes.

Council context and engineering advice MSD engineering staff told the council they referenced the AASHTO “green book” and Wasatch Front Regional Council traffic maps in assessing lane width. Ian Hartman, MSD traffic engineer (PTOE), said traffic volumes on the canyon vary by day and that AASHTO’s guidance, applied to the canyon’s design speed and counts, supports 11-foot travel lanes for the corridor as a whole. Ms. Woodland added the county’s table-based analysis yields a recommended 22-foot total traveled way (two 11-foot lanes) for the cited speeds and volumes.

Several residents challenged the engineering recommendation and the resurfacing work done this summer. Brent Alvey, who said he has ridden the canyon since getting an e-bike, reported that when he requested crash totals the preliminary figure he was given was “like, a 112 for 10 years.” Multiple speakers described rough, longitudinal ridges and uneven “micropave” surface patches that they said push cyclists into the travel lane and raise safety concerns.

Public comment themes Speakers who identified themselves as canyon residents and daily users—drivers, parents, school-bus riders and cyclists—expressed three recurring concerns: (1) the quality of the new surface and striping, which some said has longitudinal ridges and inconsistent tabbing that make the bike lane uncomfortable or unsafe; (2) the safety effect of narrowing travel lanes where driveways, blind curves and heavy vehicles (including occasional semis during I-80 detours) use the road; and (3) perceived shortfalls in enforcement and public education about shared-road rules. Several residents said they support more visible education and periodic enforcement by UPD (the county police) and asked the council to coordinate additional outreach.

Engineering, surface and implementation questions MSD staff described the resurfacing as a “micropave” maintenance treatment rather than a full mill-and-overlay; staff said micropave was chosen for its cure time and suitability for higher traffic. Engineers and several residents disagreed about whether the finish quality met project specifications; council members requested follow-up with operations staff (who managed the maintenance contract) to verify the product and inspection records. Residents and staff agreed to invite operations staff to the council’s next meeting to explain contract specifications and inspection practices.

Council action and next steps The council held a roll-call-style decision (straw poll preceding a formal motion) and then a motion to keep the existing 11-foot travel lanes below Merrifield Lane was moved, seconded and approved. The motion carried with four votes in favor and one abstention. The council directed MSD/operations to black out improperly placed tabs and restripe the segment from Pioneer Ridge Road to Marguerite Lane at 11 feet and to provide a follow-up report on striping corrections and surface inspection. Council members also asked staff to: (1) share the crash data and the MSD/Wasatch Front analyses with the public; (2) invite operations staff to explain the micropave specification and inspection process; and (3) coordinate additional enforcement and education outreach with UPD.

Votes at a glance - Motion: Keep travel lanes at 11 feet on the unstriped segment below Merrifield Lane and correct striping errors. Mover/Seconder: not specified on the record. Outcome: approved (4–0, 1 abstention). Council directed MSD/operations to repaint problem areas and report back.

What remains unresolved Council members and residents said they remain divided about whether narrower lanes (10 feet) would improve safety. Several council members reiterated support for ongoing study, public education and enforcement before advancing a permanent lane-width change. MSD staff said the council could revisit lane-width changes after more data collection, public outreach and confirmation that the road-surface issues have been corrected.

The council said MSD will provide the crash maps and the traffic-count sources used in their recommendation and will invite Salt Lake County operations staff to the next meeting to explain inspection records, micropave specifications and the plan for striping corrections.

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