Provo MSA Development Thread

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CATHY ALLRED - North County Staff

A year after entering the Lehi mayoral office, Mayor Howard Johnson continues to try and convince UDOT and other agencies of the soundness of his transportation solutions for north Utah County.

Two of his proposals include a freeway tunnel under the Camp Williams projectile explosives range and another a causeway across Utah Lake from south Saratoga Springs to Orem.

"The solution to our problems is to build a freeway through Cedar Valley to west of Nephi and getting real vision run a tunnel through Camp Williams," he said. "You can see my concern for the last year and it will be for the next year and that is traffic through the city."

Transportation, policy and procedures and facilities were the topics on Johnson's mind when he spoke during a Tuesday interview with the Lehi Free Press of the accomplishments of the past year and the goals of 2007.

By far the most time consuming and important item according to the mayor has been the transportation issues confronting the city and north Utah County. Johnson said he began a review of the highway and street needs of the area taking four months, 2-3 hours every day working on the project.

"I've talked with every mayor in the valley, talked with legislators, I've talked with a count commissioner, I've talked at length with MAG," he said.

Out of all his planning and talking, Johnson said there has been some good, some negative come out of it.

"The biggest thing right now, they are listening to me and smiling," he said. "I just want to keep them informed."

He is writing a letter to Lehi residents about the community's transportation needs, the results of his study and some of what he knows will happen, some obviously visionary, he said.

The letter and a copy of a color transportation map he is working on will be included in the February utility bill to residents.

Most immediately pressing to him is winning the 1900 South alignment choice for UDOT's Mountainview Corridor project and protecting homeowners along 1500 South.

"The 1500 North (option) creates a no-man's land for Lehi," he said.

While transportation might be the first thing on his mind for 2006 and 2007, personnel issues run a close second.

"One of the neat things we've done is the personnel policies and procedures have been revised, updated and now we are carefully following them," Johnson said.

He began the revision process in spring 2006 and included standardizing the employment procedures as well.

Future goals for the city, Johnson said will focus also on solving city facility concerns caused by growth. Lehi City Hall is over capacity with employees staffed in closets for offices.

"At this point we are trying to see what to do," he said.