"This is emotional for me," Highland resident Stephanie Anderson told the audience of some 500 people. "If (residents of neighboring cities) want to disrupt their lives by driving out of their way because they don't have connectors to our connectors, that's OK for them."

So many people came to the meeting that benches and chairs were brought into the school's already-packed gym so the crowd standing at the back of the room could sit. Although Highland Mayor Jay Franson asked the audience not to applaud to save time, each comment against the road concept was met with fierce, angry clapping as a sign of agreement.

Still, there were a handful of residents who said the road may have to be widened someday.

"Highland city has no other options," resident Kay Robinson said. "You look around this room, all of these people are families with teenage kids and three or four cars. What can you do? Whatever we do, everyone will be impacted."

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