Massive population growth leads to more roads for Utah's snowplows to go


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HERRIMAN — It just takes a second of hearing a plow scraping snow off a paved road, and many people will feel the chill of winter.

"For the most part, I get pretty excited," said Austin Cook, Herriman's street foreman.

Even though that sound means long hours and early wake-up calls for guys like Cook, he says there is nothing like that sense of accomplishment that you are helping others.

"It is satisfying to see all the hard work come through, and you see that blacktop," he said.

Seeing the blacktop means snowplow drivers are doing a good job clearing roads. But Cook said there is a lot more road to clear in his city.

"It has grown a lot," said Cook. "Everyone kind of has to learn a new map. Everyone has their zone map, and there (are) additional neighborhoods and everything that gets added to it."

Like many Utah cities, Herriman has seen a huge population increase in the past 10 to 15 years.

When it was incorporated 25 years ago, about 1,000 people lived there. Today, the population is about 65,000 people. That means more roads, more neighborhoods, and for the city, more plows and drivers to keep up.

A line of new snowplows prepares to remove snow from Herriman roads on Thursday. Population growth means there are more miles of road to plow.
A line of new snowplows prepares to remove snow from Herriman roads on Thursday. Population growth means there are more miles of road to plow. (Photo: Stuart Johnson, KSL-TV)

"This is something the city council and city leadership prioritizes and knows is important," said Jonathan LaFollette, Herriman communications manager.

In 2000, Herriman had about 45 lane miles of roads to plow. In 2010, that jumped to 210 lane miles. Today, it's about 350 lane miles.

"People drive on the roads, and when they are snowy or icy they are unsafe, and we need to make sure the roads are safe," LaFollette said.

A graph shows how much Herriman has spent on snowplows and related resources.
A graph shows how much Herriman has spent on snowplows and related resources. (Photo: Herriman city)

Keeping the roads safe is why Herriman has bought new trucks to plow, sand, and salt and hired more drivers to clear roads as quickly as possible.

Because of last winter's record snow, Herriman plowed 20,000 miles of road during 38 snow events. Drivers plowed about 6,000 miles of roads in 11 snow events the year before. Cook sure appreciates the extra help.

"If we were still at the same number of drivers as ten years ago, we would be out there probably five or six hours longer on each shift," Cook said.

As Herriman and other Utah cities continue to grow, the number of roads to keep safe during snowstorms will only grow, too.

"I think most of the guys like it, and we just like doing our job," Cook said. "It is good to know we are keeping people safe."

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UtahSalt Lake County
Alex Cabrero, KSL-TVAlex Cabrero
Alex Cabrero is an Emmy award-winning journalist and reporter for KSL-TV since 2004. He covers various topics and events but particularly enjoys sharing stories that show what's good in the world.

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