The road could potentially cut diagonally across the wetlands, which surround the lake. The wetlands come from three sources, the lake, Spring Creek and the Jordan River.

While the lake and the wetlands are good scenery, Barker says they play a more important role in the lake's ecosystem. The wetlands prevent flooding, filter water and provide one of the more important rest stops for migrating birds in the Western Hemisphere, Barker said.

Infringing on the wetlands could pose trouble for Mountain View, given the past history between UDOT and the Sierra Club.

In 2001, the Sierra Club and Utahns for Better Transportation successfully halted construction of the Legacy Parkway in Davis County because of concerns that the impacts of the highway to the Great Salt Lake wetlands had not been sufficiently studied.

Heileson said that the potential fight over the Mountain View route has the possibility of turning into a battle like the one waged over Legacy if UDOT picks the southern alignment. First, Mountain View impacts wetlands, he said. Second, there are no transit alternatives in the area other than commuter rail.

Two of the issues that halted construction of Legacy were a lack of transit alternatives and impact to habitat in the wetlands. "They're choosing the most damaging facility possible," Heileson said about Mountain View.

Under the federal Clean Water Act, a state transportation agency must choose the "least damaging" route for a road if it goes through the wetlands. But the Clean Water Act also allows an agency to pick an alignment that impacts wetlands if it serves a necessary purpose that has been well-studied.

The purpose for studying the southern alignment is because it will meet future traffic demands and help with congestion, said Newell.

UDOT deputy director Carlos Braceras said Wednesday that there is plenty of time for the issues the Sierra Club raised to be addressed. UDOT has not yet selected where the road will go.

"We appreciate their concerns and want to work with them, and all the while meet the transportation needs," he said.

Sometime this fall, UDOT plans to announce what alternative in Utah County it prefers as the route for Mountain View. The agency has already announced that it prefers 5800 West as the route for the road in Salt Lake County.

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E-mail: achoate@desnews.com, nwarburton@desnews.com