Council declines immediate lane-narrowing on Emigration Canyon; will revisit with larger improvements project

The Emigration Canyon council voted to keep the road striping as it is and to defer any decision about narrowing vehicle travel lanes to the larger Emigration Canyon improvements project, following extensive public comment about safety and road use.

Residents told the council they are concerned about collision risk, access for large vehicles and school buses, and loss of private property if the road were widened. Many urged stronger enforcement and other measures rather than immediate restriping. The council’s motion to leave the current striping in place carried by voice vote; the record of individual yea/nay tallies was not provided at the meeting.

The debate centered on a staff proposal to study reducing motor-vehicle lane widths from 11 feet to 10 feet and adding marked bicycle accommodations in some stretches. Supporters of maintaining the current lane widths cited the 2016 Lochner report incorporated…