Skycrest residents press council for answers on culvert project, access and utility coordination

Skycrest neighborhood residents told the Emigration Canyon Council at its public comment period that they are concerned about how a planned culvert replacement will affect access, utilities and emergency response.

Residents said the 75% design plans they received from the Municipal Services District (MSD) show construction starting in August and that the planned replacement would remove an existing corrugated metal pipe and install a precast concrete box culvert, creating a roughly 50-foot-wide trench in the roadway. "This project would propose to remove the existing culvert, which is about a 5 foot in diameter CMP," said Naomi Keeson, a Skycrest resident. She added that the plans indicate the contractor "will provide access to the residents in non working hours by backfilling and plating the trenches," which neighbors said is not feasible and risks life-safety access for older residents.

Skycrest residents told the council the culvert directly impacts four properties and that the county/MSD will need permanent easement documents plus temporary construction easements that require surveying, appraisal and negotiation. "We'd like to know, what it's gonna take for how long, how it's gonna be repaired," said Jason Klopas, an engineer who lives on Skycrest Lane. He and other residents asked for a neighborhood-wide meeting with MSD to review construction sequencing, staging and how emergency and daily access would be preserved.

Lisa Fitzgerald, president of the Spring Glen Water Company, told the council she believes a main waterline is not shown on the current plan set and asked MSD to confirm the location of laterals to the homes. Residents said unclear mapping of utility laterals increases the risk of service interruption and complicates easement negotiations.

Several speakers also urged the council to coordinate the culvert replacement with planned utility work by Rocky Mountain Power. Lisa Fitzgerald said Rocky Mountain Power told the neighborhood it has no plan to coordinate its trenching with the culvert work: "If by the grace of god it happens, it happens, but there is absolutely no plan for them to coordinate," she said. Council staff and residents noted Rocky Mountain Power planned a public meeting for early May in the canyon to discuss its undergrounding work.

MSD engineering manager Tamara Woodland told the council she has spoken with consultants and contractors about Skycrest access and said a weekend shutdown was proposed as a minimally acceptable option, though she said she prefers other access plans. Woodland said she will return to the council with more information on access, temporary-construction-easement footprints and contractor sequencing at the May 27 council meeting.

Residents asked the council to require a contractor staging, sequencing and access plan in bid documents so residents and emergency services understand how access will be maintained during construction. "I would be a huge advocate for we're making sure that cars can access across that during construction," said TJ Winger, a Skycrest resident who emphasized ambulance and fire access concerns.

The council did not take formal action on the culvert at the meeting. Staff said MSD and the county are the project managers for design and construction and that the council and MSD would continue outreach and follow-up on the questions raised by residents.

Ending — The council agreed staff will continue to press MSD for clearer mapping of utilities, streets staging plans, and a timeline for easement negotiations, and that staff will present a more detailed update at the May 27 meeting.