Residents press town officials over alignment, drainage and irrigation impacts as Trenton advances COG-funded 800 South project

Trenton officials held a public hearing on a proposed Council of Governments (COG)–funded project to pave a portion of 800 South, drawing multiple residents who raised concerns about property encroachment, drainage and irrigation equipment in the project corridor.

The town’s civil engineer described the stretch under consideration and the design approach. “The intent is to come up 100 east to 400 east. Paving the road at a 24 foot of asphalt, 2 foot shoulder at your side, and then tapering down,” said Jacob Hanks, the civil engineer identified in the meeting as the consultant helping design and prepare the contractor application for the project. He said geotechnical testing will be required for the full corridor and that the West Cache Canal crossing will likely require widening and culvert replacement as part of the work.

Why it matters: The project would convert a gravel/dirt road to paved surface in phases. Residents told council that paving and shoulder construction may encroach on irrigated farmland, move the centerline of the road, and affect high‑value irrigation pivots and farm infrastructure. Design choices also affect drainage and where water from the road would be directed.

Residents said measurements taken on the ground showed the asphalt width and shoulder footprint extend beyond the orange stakes marking the planned edge of oil. “I went and measured those because to me, it was way wider than, you know, 27 feet,” said Rita (identified in the record by first name), a resident who addressed the council during public comment. She and others said gravel had been pushed off the road historically and that changes can shift the road alignment nearer to homes and pivots.

Council discussion and staff responses - Right-of-way and surveying: Town staff said a full right-of-way survey for the four-block segment is not required for this phase. “Right of way survey is not required,” said a municipal representative (identified in the meeting as representing the engineering team). The engineer said the team will rely on GIS imagery and due diligence to estimate the right-of-way and “stay as far away from that as we recently did.” - Irrigation pivots and utilities: Hanks warned that pivots and existing utilities (power lines, phone cable, pressurized irrigation and culinary lines) are “design restraints” that define design parameters and may constrain how the road can be realigned. He said the team expects to replace aging metal drainage pipes where needed and widen the canal culvert; that canal crossing work may need to be completed in the winter if the town receives funding. - Drainage and shoulder slope: Residents and staff discussed shoulder slope requirements; a resident noted the 4:1 slope standard for shoulders and the difficulty of meeting that where there is a steep drop to the south. The town indicated it will design shoulders and tapering either to meet standards or minimize impact on adjacent properties. - Timeline and funding: The engineer and council reiterated that the project is being pursued in phases because of town finances and the COG process. The town sent a letter of intent to the COG committee for a second phase of the project. Council members cautioned that raising objections in the funding process (for example, threatening litigation) risks the town losing the COG allocation.

Cost and scope: The council discussed an estimate of roughly $400,000 for the next phase (the four-block segment from 800 East to 400 East), and noted the project is being planned as multiple phases to limit the town’s required local match. The engineer said a portion of the work — geotechnical investigations, culvert work and possible wing/head wall reconstruction at the canal crossing — are among the higher-cost items.

Public-safety and operational concerns: Residents asked that culvert and bridge replacements be sequenced so property owners are not landlocked during construction. Mr. Chambers (a resident who identified his property as between 800 East and 400 East) asked specifically that the town plan the contractor sequence so his property remains accessible.

Council direction and next steps: The council opened the public hearing on the COG funding project by motion and voice vote, heard public comment and then closed the hearing. Town staff said they will continue design work (including geotechnical sampling), coordinate with irrigation and utility providers, and refine plans to minimize encroachment on private property. The engineer said the canal crossing would likely need to be completed this winter if the town receives funding.

Ending: Council members urged continued engagement and said they will bring refined plans and the results of geotechnical testing back to the public as the design advances. The town emphasized that certain critical constraints — utilities and pressurized irrigation lines — limit how far the road can be realigned without additional utility relocation work.