Please Sign This Petition Urging Public Officials to Add Sidewalks and Limit Additional Needless Destruction to Vine Street

The Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC) and Murray City plan to increase the width of Vine Street between 900 East and Van Winkle to a uniform 81’.

This is a Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC) project, approved over a decade ago, being managed and implemented by Murray City. 

Plans include the addition of a 12' center turning lane, two 5' bike lanes, two 6' parking lanes, curb and gutter, two 5' park strips, and two 4' sidewalks totaling 81 feet.

An 81’ roadway will require the removal of approximately 52 mature trees, along with numerous bushes, young trees, and hedges that will be replaced with asphalt and concrete. 

Mature trees and landscape provide character and shade in the area, reducing the amount of water needed to preserve surrounding landscape areas and reducing the amount of energy required to heat and air-condition surrounding homes. Removal of more than 52 large trees will increase use of water and energy, resulting in additional costs to homeowners.

The area is zoned R-1-10 and City code requires that homes be set back 25’ from the sidewalk. The City’s forced acquisition of property from homeowners will create numerous non-compliant homes.

Vine Street at Rodeo Lane is currently only 56 feet; 81 feet is a 25 foot increase or nearly 50% more asphalt.

Phase I: 900 – 1300 East: Design and procurement in 2018. Construction in the Spring of 2019

Phase II: 1300 East to Van Winkle: Design and property procurement 2020. Construction in 2021.

Limit the Widening of Vine Street
Protect Our Neighborhoods from Excess Asphalt
Project Overview. Project comprises a total of 81 feet, with sidewalks and street width from curb to curb is 63 feet. Land acquisition of 7 to 11 feet is to be “taken” from many residential properties. Plans are based on computer models rather than actual traffic.

1. Citizen Comunication. Federal and State Tax Funds, distributed by the Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC), awarded grants of approximately $10 Million to Murray City to increase the width of Vine Street from 900 East to Highland Drive without citizen input required by NEPA, the National Environment Protection Act. Because the Project will have “significant impact on travel patterns,” the categorical exclusion claimed under NEPA is not valid or lawful.
Many citizens want sidewalks, without losing excess trees to a continuous middle turn lane of 12’. Bike lanes 10’, parking strips10’ and on-street parking lanes12’ need to be discussed.

Ride-Share, Uber, Lyft, driverless vehicles and drones, along with direct delivery by Amazon, Smiths-Kroger, WalMart, and other home-delivery trends, decrease traffic.

No compelling state or public need has been shown to inflict Eminent Domain on homeowners. Per the 2017 Murray General Plan (compared to 2003): “Overall, traffic volumes in Murray have not substantially increased in either arterials or collectors.” (Page 98)

2. Wider Streets harm People. Children of two elementary schools will face crossing Vine Street (very few cross streets) with increased traffic under the current plans. Programs that encourage biking and walking to school will be thwarted as the center turn lane will increase both speed and traffic.

A longitudinal study by Swift shows that wider streets increase “accidents per mile per year and that the safest residential road width is 24 feet.” Cities Safer by Design, a report by The World Resources Institute states:

"Safe urban design is about reducing motor vehicle speeds.... Reducing street widths creates a safer pedestrian experience.... Other studies...show...the most significant relationship to injury crashes is street width and street curvature. As street width widens, crashes per mile per year increase exponentially."

3. An “urban heat island” will be created by expanding asphalt. Significant impacts on neighborhoods need to be addressed. The destruction of approximately 50 mature tall trees, and shrubs, decorative landscapes, gardens, and walls will take many years, if not decades, to even begin to replace, high impact to those living on Vine Street.

“Initiative #3: Livable + Vibrant Neighborhoods”: “...Building on Murray’s established residential neighborhoods, this initiative is geared toward keeping these areas livable and vibrant. ...designed for people....” Under the goal of “Nature/Environment” the words “Promote low-impact development standards” are written, Plan, Page 36.

4. Building Code non-compliance will result for homes that will not meet the current setback compliance code of 25 feet if 7 to 11 feet of land is “taken” from their front or side yards, an infringement of property rights. Shorter driveways will require more on-street parking and interfere with snow removal.

Please send link to others who want to keep more trees and use tax dollars wisely! Paper petitions are also available by calling Beverly 801-277-8788.