BOUNTIFUL—In 2019 when a wildfire destroyed several homes near the “B” first responders had to wind their way through neighborhoods to get to it. An inter-local agreement approved by the county will pave the way to connect Eagle Ridge Drive with Bountiful Boulevard making it easier to go up and down the hillside without traveling on residential roads.

“It’s pretty exciting,” said Bountiful City Administrator Gary Hill. “Eagle Ridge Drive is the last road where you go up Skyline Drive and ends right below the ‘B.’ The master plan called for the road to continue where Bountiful Boulevard curves and heads down 400 North but that is private property.”

The city has been waiting for many, many years for the owner to develop that property, he said. “If they develop the property they would have to develop the road and pay for that so there would be no cost to the taxpayers. When the property sold we thought that would happen immediately. The residents are frustrated that it hasn’t been developed.”

To get to the “B” or gun range you have to wind your way through the neighborhoods below, Hill said. “That puts a lot of traffic on those streets and private roads. It’s hard for public safety vehicles to get there if there are any issues by the ‘B’ like calls about someone shooting guns, vandalism or fires.”

The new road will provide much needed access, he said. “It will take traffic off those neighborhood roads. Public safety vehicles can access Skyline Drive road more quickly.”

Hill said plans have just fallen into place for the project. “We worked it out with the county to loan the money to build the road to the city. The city will build the road and the land owner will repay us when they develop it. That way we don’t have to wait. The owners have indicated they are willing to reimburse us.”

The county is not charging interest on the loan, he said. “We’ll repay it without interest. It will cost about $1 million now. If builders build in two or three years they would pay more for it because of inflation. It will be less expensive for the developer in today’s dollars than it would have cost in the future. We will only require the developer to pay us back what we spent on it in 2021.”

Hill said in a normal situation when a new subdivision goes in the developer is required to build a road at their own expense. “The developer has to build the road and all the costs associated one way or another. Otherwise, all residents would have to pay for a road that is servicing the new homes. That’s just not equitable.”

There are two steps to move forward, he said. “First the city has to approve the loan through an inter-local agreement with the county. That will be in the Jan. 12 city council meeting. Then we still need to enter into an agreement with the property owners to pay back the city.”

Assuming all that takes place, Hill anticipates construction will start in early spring for completion in late fall. “The road does not go in front of any existing home owners,” he said. “All the parties are willing to work together so we’ve found a way to make it beneficial to the property owners and save them money and a way to not burden the county. It only works because of the good relationship we have with the county.”

The credit goes to Commissioner (Randy) Elliot for being so attentive to the area,” said Hill. “Commissioners Stephenson and Kamalu were right there behind him. Reducing traffic on residential streets is a win for everybody.”