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Midvale City addresses resident concerns on parks and traffic

Aug 09, 2021 11:59AM ● By Erin Dixon

An electronic sign in Midvale will let drivers know if they are going too fast. (Erin Dixon/City Journals)

By Erin Dixon | [email protected]

In July, Midvale Public Works Director Glenn Kennedy spoke to the city council about two concerns: traffic violations and park maintenance.

Traffic

“Both city staff and council members receive several traffic control requests annually,” Kennedy said. 

Because of this, “Staff is looking to create a traffic committee [so] all traffic requests are considered in a consistent manner,” Kennedy said. 

City Manager Matt Dahl continued to explain to council members that, “The struggle we’ve been having is when residents are, understandably, concerned about traffic on their street. No matter what surveillance of the street we do and what time, we can’t actually replicate the issue they’re bringing in.

“Our hope is that [making a review process] will make them feel comfortable that we have spent sufficient time reviewing that,” Dahl said. 

Councilmember Paul Glover has often quoted residents' concerns about traffic violations. “Obviously we’re not going to be able to meet everybody’s request. Bottom line, if we put enough time and effort in response back to them, the more we can do something. Then I think we’re good,” Glover said.

The review committee is a work in progress.

“The committee will consist of representatives from engineering, public works, UPD and UFA,” Kennedy said. 

The goal is to make city response to traffic concerns consistent. 

“This will help follow-up with the requestor,” Kennedy said. “The requestor will receive a report/response. And it will identify funding and available options.”

Parks

Again, Kennedy approached the city council with resident concerns. “...Public works and engineering were doing work on the new Adams Street park,” Kennedy said. “A resident was walking by...and he was very excited about the park. He walks around it every morning and is concerned it isn’t going to stay beautiful. Every morning there's an unwanted element.”

To help keep all parks within the city clean and safe, “I want to ask the community to be more present,” Kennedy said. “We spend a lot of time repairing things, cleaning up vandalism that comes at a huge cost that takes us away from keeping the grass green and things like that.”

Councilmember Dustin Gettel expressed some frustration at negative comments. “One of the  disappointments I’ve had especially with the Adams Street park is the negativity...before it’s even open. The best way to make a park a place people want to go, is to go to it.”

Dahl echoed a desire for residents to contribute to care of the parks. “In the end we only have two or three dedicated people to all of this open space that we have. We appreciate everything that the public does to help. We believe these are going to be great spaces but it's going to take a lot of help.”

On the Midvale Residents Facebook page, the opinions about the new Adams Street park are wide-ranging and possibly capture the crux of the problem city staff face. 

“I think it looks very nice,” Jamie Mansfield said. “The dog park is pretty subpar compared to the ones in Sandy and Taylorsville. I think it definitely makes the street look better.”

“I hate it,” Julie Johnston Cluff said. “It’s already used and abused. People leave trash everywhere, park all over and are loud.”