Newell's team is now preparing to study travel demand and revenue forecasting with relation to a possible toll road. The goal is to "see what revenue you could actually get out of a toll facility," she said.

Over the next two or three months, the team will be "putting this all together in a financial package and putting that revenue together, seeing what moneys the state would need to put together to get this facility to happen," Newell said.

Also yet to be decided is whether the roadway would follow a path along what is now 5800 West or travel along 7200 West in Salt Lake County. Three optional alignments are being considered in Utah County.

West Valley Mayor Dennis Nordfelt told the commission that the highway, no matter where it is placed, is sorely needed.

"There is not unanimity among even the elected officials in West Valley City about the preferred alternative," he said. "But there is unanimity that one of the alternatives needs to happen. They need to pick a structure to accommodate the traffic. . . . So while there isn't unanimity on which would be preferred, that isn't the issue. The issue is that we would like to move forward as quickly as possible, and we're satisfied that DOT is doing that."

At recent public meetings, project planners disclosed that 240 to 270 homes in Salt Lake County would be removed to make way for the highway, depending on the ultimate alignment. In Utah County, between 20 and 140 relocations would be required, again depending on the alignment.

"I couldn't imagine that we could all agree on one alternative," said Transportation Commission chairman Glen Brown. "Someday, though, we'll have to make a decision."

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E-mail: zman@desnews.com