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Utah County population is surging

Lehi has state's 2nd largest growth — after St. George

By Amy Choate
Deseret Morning News
LEHI — Back when the West was wild, Lehi used to be a dusty place where cowboys came to drink whiskey and trade horses.
Now, the town that is strategically located between Salt Lake City and the heart of Utah County is becoming one of the fastest growing cities in the state. According to a U.S. Census report being released today, Lehi had the second-largest increase of population from 2004 to 2005 after St. George.
"We're having growing pains learning how to be a little bit bigger than we're used to being," Lehi Mayor Howard Johnson said.
The city grew from 27,633 people in 2004 to 31,730 in 2005, according to the report. The city is continuing to skyrocket in 2006, Johnson said.
"We have traffic problems" because of the influx of population in Utah County, Johnson said. "We have a hard time responding to all of the growth wanted for the annexations, the developments; putting in the sewer and water. We're keeping up with it, but we're very busy in those areas."

Other parts of the county are also expanding rapidly.
Pleasant Grove had the sixth-biggest increase in population in the state — more than Draper or Provo. Eagle Mountain grew by 18 percent and Cedar Hills grew by nearly 17 percent.
Since anyone traveling north to Salt Lake City must pass through Lehi, the county's growth is having a slightly negative effect on the town's road system.
Johnson said Lehi's main traffic problem lies with Main Street. The two-lane road is the only major artery out to Cedar Valley from I-15, where equally booming Saratoga Springs and Eagle Mountain lie. Main Street runs through the middle of Lehi, then continues on to Tooele.
If the state does not provide another outlet from the rapidly developing area west of Utah Lake, then Lehi and its surrounding cities will be crippled economically, Johnson said.
Eagle Mountain Mayor Brian Olsen agrees with Johnson. Eagle Mountain grew from 8,760 in 2004 to 10,343 in 2005. The town, which houses mostly young families and retirement-age residents, also faces water and transportation challenges.
While Eagle Mountain offers affordable homes in a beautiful environment, Olsen said, changes will be needed to help the city continue to grow in a positive way.
"I have a political job to do, and that's push (for transportation alternatives)," Olsen said. "This is an area in our state that really needs attention."


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