Orem city is hashing out transportation plans and have come up with some ideas.

The City Council approved three such recommendations recently from the Transportation Advisory Commission:

classifying Geneva Road as a future seven-lane highway in the city's transportation master plan

adopting Utah Department of Transportation's Interstate 15 concept with minor changes

accepting a new street classification map, also as part of the transportation master plan.

In presenting the recommendation for Geneva Road, Orem transportation engineer Paul Goodrich referenced the "regional planning" that has taken place, including the state's long-range plans for an East Lake Parkway that will run through Vineyard and into Lehi to connect with the planned Mountain View Corridor.

UDOT is planning for the future widening of Geneva Road through Orem, and the Mountainland Association of Governments has recommended that the road have at least six lanes through the city.

Other proposals for the road include:

10-foot multi-use paths on both sides

an 8-foot landscaped buffer between the multi-use paths and the road

strategically placed raised medians with landscaping.

Goodrich emphasized that the proposals are "concept designs" and that the city will need to work with UDOT.

"I think it's a great plan," said Councilwoman Margaret Black. "I'm very impressed with it, and would like to see it happen."

As part of the city's transportation master plan, the city council also adopted an option featuring an interchange at 800 South and I-15, along with frontage roads south of University Parkway.

The City Council adopted the June 2007 street classification map as part of the transportation master plan, an update from 2001.

Principal arterials are now defined as "streets that have or are intended to have seven lanes" instead of five to seven lanes. Minor arterials that cross I-15 will be designated to have five lanes instead of three to five lanes.

A number of streets were "upgraded" -- 1600 North from Geneva Road to 1200 West from minor arterial to principal arterial; 1200 North from Geneva Road to 1200 West from an urban collector to a minor arterial; Center Street from Geneva Road to 1200 West from a minor arterial to a principal arterial.

Also upgraded were: 400 South from Geneva Road to 1200 West, from an urban collector to a minor arterial; 800 South from Geneva Road to 900 West, from an urban collector to a minor arterial; and 2000 South from Geneva Road to Sandhill Road, from an urban collector to a minor arterial.

Streets identified to cross I-15 are 1200 North and 800 South at the new interchange point.

The map adds I-15 frontage roads from University Parkway south to Provo, and removes the "urban collector to local" street classifications. New or improved crossings of I-15 also are to be designed with separate pedestrian and bicycle paths.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page B1.