AMERICAN FORK — Cassie Allred's farm in American Fork has been there for almost 100 years, but now it seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.

With all of its 120 acres near Main Street, the family farm is in a prime location for a possible connector road and I-15 expansion being studied by Utah's Department of Transportation. The Utah Transit Authority also is considering the area for a commuter-rail stop.

Either way, Allred says the farm will be ruined if a five-lane road runs through her property.

"It will put us out of business," Allred said. "If they put this road in, there's absolutely no way that we can put our machinery on it and drive from the north part of the property to the south part of the property. It would devastate us."

But wait, there's more.

With the farm, Allred inherited a $1 million property tax lien from the IRS. She struck a deal with the government agency about three years ago that if the land is farmed for at least 10 years, the lien will be reduced to about $150,000. However, if the farm stops functioning before the 10 years is up, the $1 million is due immediately — with interest.

The farm has a state-granted agricultural protection status, and, coupled with the lien, it has made a sticky situation for UDOT.

"It's a very complex issue and it's going to take time to make this work," said Geoff Dupaix, UDOT Region 3 spokesman. "Regardless of where the (I-15) interchanges are, there will be property owners that will be affected by these changes ... We'll be working with a lot of property owners throughout this corridor."

UDOT made several presentations in the past two weeks in communities that will be affected by the I-15 expansion and commuter rail project in Utah County. Allred was one of 75 residents who attended a UDOT-sponsored open house in American Fork.

In addition, UDOT held open houses in Draper, Orem and Spanish Fork. In total, about 200 residents attended the meetings.

Some residents said they are concerned about the impact the potential multi-billion-dollar expansion will have on their homes, but others said they're just glad UDOT is planning for the future.

"In my country, they're four years behind (in transportation planning), but here they're four years ahead," said Gustavo Schoenfeld, an Orem resident who is originally from Guatemala. "I like the way they do it here. At least they are thinking about what is going to happen."

The I-15 expansion project, which is expected to begin construction in 2011 or 2012, includes UTA's FrontRunner project for commuter rail in Utah County. More information on the project can be found on UDOT's Web site at www.udot.utah.gov/i15utahcounty.