Residents of Salt Lake City's west side are accusing the city and the Utah Transit Authority of bowing to the influence of a powerful developer to move the route for the airport TRAX line west into neighborhoods, and away from The Gateway mall.

Last October, Boyer Co., which owns much of The Gateway, donated $10,000 to a campaign aimed at getting voters to approve a tax increase for new TRAX light-rail lines and commuter rail. The campaign was organized by a group of downtown business owners that called itself the 2015 Transportation Alliance.

Voters approved the increase last November, and four new TRAX lines — including the airport line — are currently being prepared for construction.

Residents say shifting the airport line west would hurt views from their homes, increase traffic and crime, and contribute to perceptions that physical and sociological barriers exist between Salt Lake City's west side and downtown.

"The whole thing just stinks of a back-room deal," said west-sider Tony Nisson in an interview Thursday.

UTA and Boyer officials say no deals have been made, although both the agency and the company prefer moving the airport route from 400 West to 600 West.

If the line runs down 600 West, the route would connect with UTA's intermodal hub, where Amtrak, Greyhound and other TRAX lines are all planned to stop, UTA said. Boyer officials worry that the 400 West option would increase traffic and limit access to The Gateway, according to company president Jake Boyer.

The Gateway is bordered on the east by 400 West, and North Temple to the north. The current plan calls for TRAX to run down both streets.

"Whether you're coming to The Gateway or not, it's not good for 400 West," Boyer said.

Since 1999, the line has been planned to run north down 400 West from the Arena Station, then turn west and link to the airport via North Temple. But earlier this year, UTA and a team of consultants began studying whether to move the airport TRAX route from 400 West to 600 West. The study was prompted by new downtown developments such as construction of the Gateway and UTA's commuter-rail line.

UTA has already given its preliminary endorsement to the 600 West option, which would take the TRAX line north from the intermodal hub to connect with North Temple. Boyer also likes the 600 West option, as does the downtown Salt Lake City community council.

"I don't think we're exerting influence," Boyer said. "I think The Gateway is an important economic engine for downtown. ... We're not trying to cause harm or discomfort to any neighbors."

Property owners along 600 West disagree.

Ernie Willmore, development director for the Bridge Investment Group, is worried about increased traffic along 600 West and blocked visibility from homes. If the TRAX line is run along 600 West, UTA would need to build a bridge to move the rail line over Union Pacific and commuter-rail lines that run near South Temple.