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WEST BOUNTIFUL -- Puddles of water along parts of the new Legacy Parkway have officials in at least one city concerned about drainage.
"Legacy basically provides a natural dike," said a Craig Howe, acting city manager for West Bountiful.
That was anticipated to some degree when the highway was built, but Howe isn't convinced just yet that the drainage systems are working. He says the city has done its own engineering studies that show in a 10-year storm, drainage may not be adequate enough to prevent water from backing up.
Long term, Howe is concerned that what are now wetlands on the east side of the highway and popular trail could turn into ponds, forcing wetlands farther east and onto private property. That could not only devalue the property, it could threaten some homes.
"If it were to back up far enough, there is a home or two in the area [that could be flooded]. It would probably take quite a bit of water, but we haven't seen our spring runoff yet either," Howe said.
He says the city and the Utah Department of Transportation are working on ways to possibly improve drainage.
Howe says he still looks at the highway and new trail that opened last year as gifts to the cities in that part of the county but hopes drainage problems can be worked out.
E-mail: mgiauque@ksl.com
