TMAC agrees to data-driven study of east–west connectivity barriers across Provo

At the March meeting the Transportation Mobility Advisory Committee set parameters for a coordinated East–West connectivity effort, focusing on three complementary topics: the freeway as a barrier, bench-to-freeway connections, and multimodal travel linking lakes to mountains.

Members discussed historical development patterns that left Provo with stronger north–south arterials but fewer east–west arterials. A BYU-affiliated member described a data-driven approach to test connectivity scenarios: "What I'm going to be doing is I'm going to take the street network and points of interest data and do some experiments where I take away roads and I add roads and see who gains the most or who loses the most when those roads are lost," the member said, calling for clearly defined metrics to guide future recommendations.

The committee agreed the forum should be driven by empirical measures (e.g., travel times, level of service, walkability) rather than qualitative impressions alone. Members also cautioned against assuming a one-size-fits-all approach: some emphasized keeping walkable neighborhoods intact and not replicating decisions that widened roads in other jurisdictions.

Chair Beth Provan directed staff to collect baseline data and prepare a plan for summer presentations; committee members suggested benchmarking connectivity experiments against existing master-plan proposals and sharing results in a future agenda packet.

No formal vote was taken; the step is procedural and will lead to presentations and data products this summer.