This annual festival, which honors the community’s connection with the historic Pony Express trail, attracts thousands of visitors every year to attend the parade, the carnival and the musical performances.

It’s a boon to Eagle Mountain’s business sector and tourism efforts. The events are also considered a small contributor for those deciding whether to move to our growing community.

Since being elected mayor, I have walked in the Pony Express Days parade every year. Not only is it a great way to meet my daily steps goals, but I also get the opportunity to hand out Otter Pops to the residents.

If you’re unfamiliar, these icy treats come in a thin, plastic tube and offer a variety of colors and flavors. This year, I handed out more than 3,100 and plan for more than 4,000 next year.

Ari Catherine, Special to the Daily Herald

As I passed out Otter Pops among the deluge of candy from the other floats during last Saturday’s parade, I noticed the sense of joy setting in among our residents.

Seeing the expressions on the faces of both children and adults told me that the whole experience connected residents to their community, connected families across generations and built experiences those in attendance will remember for years to come.

The unity we see during the Pony Express Days parade in Eagle Mountain strikes at the heart of what it means to live in Utah County.

Connecting residents, businesses, tourism and quality of life is what local government is all about.

The lesson in my Otter Pops plot speaks to one of the major areas this connection is missing in Utah County.

Harrison Epstein, Daily Herald

Regardless of the color, the flavor and the connection, Utah County faces major obstacles in transportation infrastructure. As things stand, major roadways in Utah County are inadequate. I believe residents, cities and elected leaders would like to see this problem solved.

Anyone who attended the latest meeting of the Mountainland Association of Governments knows there are major obstacles to overcome in planning, project prioritization and funding. This is not to place blame on any one party. Quite the opposite.

This problem, which has become increasingly pronounced, requires substantial cohesion to address. It will require cooperation from residents, city governments and the state to find solutions.

It goes without saying that it takes Eagle Mountain residents nearly as long to drive to downtown Provo as it does to drive to downtown Salt Lake City.

Navigating Utah County, especially east/west, has enormous implications for the future of the state.

Without stronger solutions to move people from point A to point B, it is reasonable to conclude that the state’s goals in the areas of population growth, affordable housing, air quality and economic development will remain unsatisfied.

If Utah County would like to see additional funding allocated to road infrastructure projects, it is wise to better cooperate with those involved.

Presenting a united front at all levels not only helps drive funding to necessary and overdue projects but can also improve the quality of life for our residents.

City governments can pick the color and flavor of the projects that suit them. The state and other organizations can allocate funding at a reasonable cost and in a way that better connects residents to their community. The residents can once again find joy when using our local roadways.

The good news is that all of this can be done in a way that relieves everyone from some of the heat of their decision-making.

Infrastructure solutions are important. I’m pleased there is an appetite at the local level to solve this issue.

My hope is that with a willingness to walk alongside each of the parties involved, Utah County can substantially change the dynamic of its continuing infrastructure problems.