Cities upset over UDOT plan

PLEASANT GROVE — The Utah Department of Transportation's proposed plans for new roads in Utah County had some affected cities grumbling fairly loudly this week.

"I think it stinks," said Pleasant Grove Mayor Jim Danklef, referring to plans for an interchange between a proposed freeway along the west side of the valley and Interstate 15.

UDOT has been studying transportation options for what it calls the Mountain View Corridor, which extends along the west side of the Salt Lake and Utah valleys from I-80 to the northern edge of Utah Lake.

UDOT has held several public meetings to present the resulting alternatives in both counties over the past few months and met with Pleasant Grove and Lindon city council members and mayors Tuesday to present its idea for the interchange. The interchange would be an element in one of three transportation plans being considered for the valley.

Mayors and council members were concerned with the impact of a large interchange on the area's development.

"We have the finest freeway intersection in the whole state — and we spent a million dollars to make it that way — and now they want to tear it down and take all of our prime land," Danklef said. "We're not excited about it at all — in fact, we'll fight 'em."

Other area mayors are also less than thrilled with some of the alternatives.

"We're quite unhappy with what has been presented," said Lehi Mayor Ken Greenwood. "It just feels like we're almost the sacrificial lamb here, without that much benefit that comes to the traveling public."

All three of the alternatives include a freeway through the west side of Lehi, which Greenwood says would further divide a city already sliced by I-15.

"It just carves up our town again for the sake of a few miles of freeway travel," he said. "We just feel like maybe we're being placed on the altar a little bit — not a little bit, a lot."

Lehi City Council member Johnny Barnes said the city realizes that roads need to be built across Lehi but thinks other alternatives should be considered.

"We feel there are other options, smaller roads and maybe a variety of roads rather than one more big I-15, or something comparable to that, through our community," Barnes said.

Saratoga Springs Mayor Timothy Parker said he has mixed feelings about the proposals.

"What's come out of the study is something that I've never really been highly supportive of but which, unfortunately, the facts kind of point to as being the best ultimate solution," Parker said.

Eagle Mountain Mayor Kelvin Bailey said he's pleased with the proposals.