Courtesy photo

Utah’s nation-leading growth has converged on Saratoga Springs, sprouting new homes, restaurants, businesses and bumper-to-bumper rush hour traffic.

When you’re sitting at a standstill between where you’ve been and where you want to go, you begin to reflect on life’s pressing issues, such as why am I still sitting in traffic? The answer is both simple and complicated. So, before we dive into the weeds, we want to recognize your frustration and provide you with hope for the future of Saratoga Springs.

Here’s the good news: The Utah Transportation Commission has allocated 10% of the approximately $7.7 billion state highway capacity funding through 2030 for projects in House District 51, a critical crossroads between Cedar Valley and Utah Valley, Salt Lake County and Utah County, and our homes in Saratoga Springs.

This historic investment is the result of our work to ensure transportation dollars followed the data, funding projects in areas experiencing acute congestion and growth — areas like Saratoga Springs.

In the Beehive State, the Legislature has invested historic sums in transportation; however, legislators and mayors don’t directly fund state road projects. Instead, UDOT funds road projects based on recommendations from Utah County’s regional transportation planning group: the Mountainland Association of Governments.

During the past six months, we have worked with MAG to improve their plan for transportation in our area. MAG has been working to update its transportation planning formula to better address growth and congestion in our region. We worked with other Utah County legislators and mayors to successfully push for a change in the formula that prioritized roads where they are needed most while being prudent about Utah’s limited resources.

In total, the transportation commission has committed more than $750 million for the Utah Department of Transportation to build transportation projects that will keep our community moving. Soon, 4 miles of new roadway on the Mountain View Corridor will stretch from 2100 North in Saratoga Springs to Porter Rockwell Boulevard in Herriman. The $350 million project will usher in upgrades at the 2100 North/Redwood Road interchange and improve traffic flow, with its completion anticipated in fall 2025.

Redwood Road along Utah Lake will exceed capacity in the next two years. UDOT is doing an analysis of the Foothill Boulevard corridor, a natural southward extension of the Mountain View Corridor. We also supported a pedestrian crossing under Redwood Road.

Importantly, they set aside $395 million to transform 2100 North into a freeway with UDOT construction beginning in 2026.

We realize these massive multimillion-dollar projects seem to move at a snail’s pace compared to our rapid growth. Between our big families and the magnetic pull of the best economy in the nation, Utah is buzzing with activity, and Saratoga Springs is at the epicenter. We’re all experiencing the growing pains.

On average, 2,700 people move to Saratoga Springs each year. In a decade, we will nearly double in size. By 2060, about 124,000 people will call this community home, and 39,000 will work here. Eagle Mountain and Cedar Valley are much the same story.

Fortunately, the transportation commission and MAG are sending transportation resources in our direction. We will continue to work together to solve these transportation issues. The wheels are turning. We’re making sure of it. Look for more information in our next article on efforts to improve transportation.

Jim Miller is mayor of Saratoga Springs and Jefferson Moss, R-Saratoga Springs, represents House District 51 in the Utah Legislature.

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