"Of course, practically anything's feasible if you want it badly enough and you throw enough money at it," Nelson said.

Nelson said the latest figures from the Governor's Office of Budget and Planning estimate Utah County will reach a population of 1.2 million sometime between 2030-2040.

Nelson also noted that building a causeway would have considerable environmental impacts on the lake. It would affect wildlife, fish and the natural flow of lake waters.

Gardner conceded that a causeway could have serious environmental impacts on the lake, but noted, "Growth is going to come. My thinking is to make growth pay its own way."

Gardner said the lack of available water and several other hurdles will likely hold up his plans for the Mosida Orchards project for a time. But, he said, growth will continue to push south from Saratoga Springs with or without a transportation plan.

"The choice is simple," Gardner said. "Do something to control where growth occurs and attempt to create some benefit from it, or do nothing and have growth continue to cost cities and taxpayers more than any advantages it might bring with it."

---

E-mail: haddoc@desnews.com