City of Taylorsville Newsletter 2600 West Taylorsville Boulevard • 801-963-5400
MAYOR'S MESSAGE Dear Friends and Neighbors, Upkeep of the roadways that run through a city is a critical part of keeping any community running smoothly and efficiently. It is why Transportation is among our five key building-block areas that we keep top of mind during our weekly planning meetings and long-term visioning. (The others are Economic Development; Public Safety; Mayor Kristie S. Overson Arts, Parks and Recreation; and Community Building). While the orange cones that seem to crop up every Utah summer can be inconvenient, it is important to keep in mind the long-term benefits. The wear and tear of our roadways is not always evident until there is a problem, and at that point it often costs much more to repair the damage than it would to stay on top of them. It is why I am very much looking forward to the completion of several planned projects in Taylorsville. Among them are: • Redwood Road from 4100 South to 5400 South – underway this summer • Redwood Road from 6200 South to I-215 – starting late this year • Midvalley Connector BRT – starting next year • 4700 South and Bangerter interchange – starting next year Additionally, we have been focused on our Taylorsville Active Communities Plan to better incorporate bicycles and pedestrians into transportation and recreational planning. The freeway-style interchange at 6200 South and Bangerter also officially opened this year, vastly improving commute times. While all of these projects will significantly benefit our community, the project I am perhaps most eagerly anticipating is the Midvalley Connector Bus Rapid Transit that will run down 4500 and 4700 South. We have been working on this project for the last few years, in coordination with Murray City, West Valley City, the Utah Transit Authority, the Utah Department of Transportation, Salt Lake Community College, Salt Lake County and the Wasatch Front Regional Council. It will bring 7 miles of BRT service, and riders will access 15 stops and 1.4 miles of dedicated transit lanes, connecting Murray Central Station to the SLCC Redwood Campus and West Valley Central Station. An open house was held this past month at Taylorsville City Hall, where transportation officials received public comment and residents could learn more about the project. You can also find details at midvalleyconnector.com Transportation is “the glue of our daily lives,” said entrepreneur Robin Chase. We don’t see the work that goes into such planning but as we well know, such things don’t just happen. They take many months, sometimes years, of planning and effort, creating innumerable benefits. So when I see those orange cones, I marvel at the magic of transportation. –Mayor Kristie S. Overson
WHAT ’S INSIDE – AUGUST 2022 Frequently Called Numbers, Page 2 Council Corner, Page 3 Getting to Know TVPD, Page 6 Heritage Remembrances, Page 7 Environment, Page 8
www.taylorsvilleut.gov
August 2022
Plaza +ART Adding New Sculptures to Centennial Plaza This Month
The City of Taylorsville’s Plaza +ART program will be adding new sculptures to Centennial Plaza later this month. Six sculptures are now featured, creating an exquisite open-air gallery that visitors can see day or night. Stroll through Centennial Plaza to view the sculptures currently on display and then come to Plaza +ART's second-season kickoff and art walk on Aug. 27 to see the new additions. Plaza +ART was created as a way to bring public art to the plaza, which opened last fall and connects City Hall and the Mid-Valley Performing Arts Center into one community-centric space with its lighted walking paths, outdoor stage, beautiful landscaping and natural amphitheater. The intent is for some of the sculptures to be displayed permanently, while others will rotate through the plaza as additional sculptures are featured. Eight new pedestals were installed this year to bring more art to the plaza. You can read more about the program and artists at www.taylorsvilleut.gov/our-city/plaza-art. Look for a map there to see where the art is located, and find information about sponsoring a pedestal or purchasing one of the sculptures, if interested. As Americans for the Arts President Robert L. Lynch aptly said, “The arts help transform American communities and the result can be a better child, a better town, a better nation and certainly a better world.”
