Orem City Council unanimously adopted (5-0) the updated City of Orem Transportation Master Plan (TMP) at the City Council meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 10. This plan represents a significant departure from previous TMPs. It solidifies the progress Orem City Council has made in securing the residential neighborhoods for families to flourish.

Background

The original TMP was created in 2010 and then updated by council in 2016. In both cases, the focus of the plan was how to manage traffic given Orem’s future rapid growth. The plan was designed to manage increased traffic as efficiently as possible. In 2016, Orem envisioned a bus rapid transit or BRT line and future high-density housing on State Street. It included input from UDOT and UTA on how to manage increased traffic flow. The fundamental drivers of the plan were growth and efficiency, i.e., managing greater throughput. The original State Street Master Plan adopted by the City Council shortly thereafter was closely connected with the 2016 updated TMP.

Changing priorities

Over the next few years, apartment complexes popped up throughout Orem and traffic became a popular bone of contention. In 2019, the Orem City Council put a “moratorium” on high-density apartments outside of major arteries (800 North, State Street and University Parkway) to prevent high-density developments in residential neighborhoods. In 2022, this was taken further when the State Street Master Plan was repealed. Orem residents were concerned about growth pressures from the state of Utah and the proposed 10,000 new residents in high-density apartments on State Street. (Important to note: The apartments currently under construction at University Mall were approved prior to 2018.)

Impact on the TMP update

The shift in priorities created a challenge in updating the TMP. Many transportation projects were based on creating greater throughput so people could pass through Orem as quickly as possible. These projects included the widening of Orem’s main corridors and building overpasses over Interstate 15, in effect connecting Vineyard to Orem. State agencies view Orem as a “pass-through” city, designed to shorten the travel time of people going through Orem with little regard to the impact on its neighborhoods.

The prior focus on growth and efficiency seemed to be at odds with the new focus of Family City USA, which is: creating an environment where families can thrive. Widening streets for motorists passing through Orem can only be done if homes are removed. Creating greater east-west connectivity significantly increases traffic and decreases pedestrian and motorist safety. The prior TMP included no mention of preserving neighborhoods and communities. Nor was the safety of Orem residents listed as a goal of the plan.

The shifts from high growth to community building — and from efficiency to safety — made the prior TMP obsolete. The Planning Commission recommended major changes to the goals of the plan and the removal of large transportation projects on Orem corridors, including two overpasses on I-15. Orem’s City Council adopted almost all the recommendations and unanimously approved the updated TMP on Oct. 10. They also recommended the city’s policy on bike transport be updated and revised to create safe and thriving active transportation opportunities.

The future of the TMP

The TMP is scheduled to be updated every five or six years. While the details of the plan will undoubtedly change, key issues are the underlying drivers of plan details: growth, efficiency, family neighborhoods and safety, etc. It is absolutely crucial for voters to know where candidates for the City Council stand on these issues in the upcoming City of Orem elections.

Murray Low is a member of the Orem City Planning Commission.

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