Locals got a chance to learn about and give feedback on three transportation projects in the Park Meadows neighborhood Tuesday.
Most were in favor of two of the projects: upgrading bus stops to include art and make them ADA accessible, and moving the Route 20 Tan transit service to weekends and increasing its frequency.
However, the majority of locals at the open house had issues with proposed changes to the north side of Little Kate Road, which involves installing a 12-foot multi-use path.
The path moves bicycles off the road and allows more space for locals to walk, bike and roll through the neighborhood. The project also aims to calm traffic by narrowing the road.
Dick Grannis is an 11-year resident of Park Meadows and doesn't want the road narrowed. He said traffic calming hasn't been successful in other parts of the neighborhood. He also wanted separation from cyclists and pedestrians.
“People are pissed off about the idea of a shared bicycle, pedestrian and dog. They always leave out the dog part,” he said. “When you walk a dog on a leash, first off, you can't hear bicycles coming up from behind you, and the dog can suddenly dart out one way or another, and that's creating more of a danger.”
Michell Rankin has lived on Little Kate Road for two years but has been in the community longer. She agreed having cyclists, pedestrians, dogs and kids on one pathway can be unsafe.
“As a cyclist, I will not use a shared pathway in fear of accidentally hitting a child that swerves out in front of me, or a dog that pulls off of their leash a little bit towards me. That would be devastating,” she said. “But then that puts me at risk, because they've taken away the bike lanes that keep me safe.”
Rankin also noted city staff told her the changes are not based on any accidents or complaints regarding the roadway. She said the city may be creating an issue rather than solving one.
A 26-year resident, Jane Osterhaus agreed with both sentiments.
“I am very disappointed in the proposal for Little Kate Road,” she said. “Most of the complaints [that] come from City Park in the summertime are that multi-use trail, with bikers going too fast and not respecting the pedestrians.”
Roxane Googin, on the other hand, liked that the multi-use path would connect Lucky John Drive and Little Kate Road to make a complete connection to McPolin Elementary.
“I think that would be great, because it helps to make an artery. Say, if you want to ride your bike downtown, anything that gets you there easier and safer.”
Residents also expressed frustration that the changes to Little Kate Road are a “done deal” and wished there had been more opportunities to provide feedback during planning stages.
Park City Assistant Transportation Planning Manager Alex Roy said the multi-use pathway plan came out of two planning study efforts: the city’s long-term transportation master plan and the bicycle and pedestrian plan. The studies identified Little Kate Road as an “all ages, all abilities” corridor needing more separation from vehicles and cyclists and pedestrians.
“Through that process, we looked at a few different alternatives to get a more protected facility along this corridor, ultimately landing at what kind of exists now, which is a 12-foot multi-use path, replacing the six-foot sidewalk that currently exists on the north side of the road,” Roy said.
Roy said the city understands local concerns and plans to alleviate them through the design process. For example, the pathway could feature stripes marking bike paths and directional travel. Cyclists concerned about sharing the pathway can still use the road.
“We're committed to improving the interaction between these different uses, both on this path and then on the other paths throughout the community,” he said.
Construction on Little Kate Road is tentatively scheduled for 2027.
