West 200 South, a road east of the Jordanelle Reservoir, crosses the Summit-Wasatch county line, and it’s been the subject of controversy between the two counties this summer.
Kamas residents have raised concerns about dust, air pollution, speeding and noise on the road, which is paved in Wasatch County but unpaved in Summit County. They blame construction in Tuhaye, a new development in Wasatch County.
The Summit County Council said in June it’s considering installing a crash gate near the county line to close the road to all but emergency and pedestrian access to the Wasatch County side.
Summit County leaders prefer that solution to paving the road, which they say would reduce dust but encourage more speeding. A speed study this spring showed almost 80% of vehicles along the road were speeding.
But Wasatch County leaders are concerned the closure would block the main access road for Wakara, another new development along the Jordanelle.
So far, the entities haven’t agreed on a solution. But now, Summit County has invited its neighbor to a joint meeting Aug. 14, primarily to discuss the road.
At a county council meeting Wednesday, Aug. 7, Wasatch County manager Dustin Grabau told councilmembers the two governments hope to forge a more collaborative relationship going forward.
“They also just want to make more regular interlocal meetings with Summit County and to introduce some of the members that are newer on their council,” he said. “So that’s, I guess, an explicit intention of this meeting.”
Several of the Wasatch County councilmembers have never met with their Summit County counterparts. Grabau estimates it’s been about four years since the two councils last met.
Wednesday’s meeting is a work session, meaning no formal decisions will be made. The councilmembers’ discussion begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Sheldon Richins building in Summit County.
