From Deseret News archives:
Davis officials to review Legacy alternative plan
The Redwood Road alternative plan was issued on the last day to submit comment for the draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement, but county officials said they hope their review and comments concerning the alternative will be included in the SEIS record.
"We're willing to look at the proposal and provide comment from the affected communities, but we don't know if those comments will make it into the SEIS," West Point Mayor John Petroff said in a statement.
Petroff, chairman of Utahns for the Legacy Parkway, stated that releasing a variation of the Redwood Road alternative on the last day of comment seemed like a "deliberate delay tactic" by opponents.
Legacy Parkway, a 14-mile limited access highway, would provide an alternative route to I-15 into Davis and Salt Lake counties. However, opponents filed a successful lawsuit against the project in November 2001 when the 10th Circuit Court in Denver put a stop to construction on the road. The Utah Department of Transportation was later asked to further study the project's environmental impact.
The alternative authored by opponents of Legacy Parkway includes the extension of Redwood Road and a focus on transit, including light rail and bus rapid transit. Opponents believe it will solve rush-hour traffic problems with the use of reversible lanes on I-15, reducing congestion more effectively than Legacy. However, the Utah Department of Transportation presented a report from the Environmental Protection Agency in March that it says they say validates the need for the project. Construction on the Legacy Parkway could resume as early as next year if not challenged by a lawsuit.
E-mail: Liorg@desnews.com
