5800 West favored for corridor route

State transportation officials announced Friday that they prefer a new highway in Salt Lake County be built at 5800 West, potentially displacing 179 homes, 20 businesses and 11 historic properties.

The Utah Department of Transportation said it picked 5800 West as its "preferred alignment" for the Mountain View Corridor for three key reasons: It impacts fewer properties, destroys less wetland area and would carry more traffic than a route at 7200 West.

UDOT is studying 7200 West as another possible route for Mountain View in Salt Lake County. That alignment would impact 224 homes, 24 businesses and four historic properties. It would carry 10 percent to 15 percent less traffic than a route along 5800 West, UDOT planners said.

While the agency wants the road to be built at 5800 West, it must still get approval from the Federal Highway Administration, which could recommend the road be built elsewhere. A recommendation is not anticipated until 2008.

"I think what you have heard from the department today is that our best guess is that the alignment should be along 5800 West, but we can't get out ahead of the Federal Highway Administration," said Carlos Braceras, UDOT deputy director.

The state Transportation Commission, a seven-member board appointed by the governor, unanimously endorsed UDOT's decision during a meeting Friday morning. West Valley City, the Magna Community Council, Magna Town Council and Magna Chamber have also endorsed the alignment.

"West Valley really wanted the corridor and we really didn't want it," said Dan Peay, president of the Magna Community Council. "It wasn't as disruptive to us."

West Valley Mayor Dennis Nordfelt could not be reached for comment Friday.

Teri Newell, project manager for Mountain View, said the department decided to announce its preferred alternative to "be open with the public." But, "until it's all resolved, it's still difficult" for the public, she said.

The reason it will take until 2008 to get a decision from the federal government is because UDOT has run into delays with the Utah County portion of Mountain View, Newell said. If built, the highway will run 40 miles from I-80 in Salt Lake County into northwest Utah County.

Four alignments are being studied in Utah County, but UDOT is being forced to restudy some of the routes because they could impact wetlands near Utah Lake. Newell anticipates it will take three to four months to resolve the wetlands issue, then several more months to review the proposed alignments.