Concerns voiced about Mountain View Corridor

A small group of protesters waved signs near the entrance to Hunter High School, and a relatively quiet crowd came to a public hearing at the school Wednesday to learn about the planned Mountain View Corridor and its impact on homes and businesses.

Cherise Udell, founder of Utah Moms for Clean Air, said her group of more than 700 mothers opposes the highway's construction and that its opposition is "non-negotiable." The group believes the corridor would harm hundreds of children living in homes and attending schools near the highway because of pollution.

The Sierra Club and other organizations are also worried about air quality near the proposed road. Several protesters stood outside the meeting at Hunter High, waving signs at people as they walked inside.

Udell said she would like to see more transit and development in western Salt Lake and Utah counties that is more conducive to walking, not driving. "We need smart urban planning with transit," she said.

Many people who attended the meeting said they had already known that Mountain View, a highway planned to run from western Salt Lake City into Utah County, would either run near their homes or require demolition of their property. They came for any new information about the road and to add their comments to an environmental impact study of the highway.

"We just want to know," West Valley resident Richard Cresse said about plans for the road as he walked out of the meeting with his five children. "We don't want it to take place, but we want to know" where Mountain View will be located.

The Utah Department of Transportation doesn't know yet where the road would go, but the agency would prefer that it run down 5800 West in Salt Lake County and 2100 North in Lehi. Wednesday's meeting was to gather public comments and concerns about the highway, which will be included in a finalized study of the road.

The federal government must approve the study before UDOT has permission to build the highway. The agency is holding a second hearing tonight in Lehi and another on Saturday in West Jordan.

Teri Newell, UDOT project manager over Mountain View, said she was aware of concerns about the highway, which could require that as many as 384 homes and businesses be demolished. She encouraged residents to attend the meetings and stay informed.

"This is a great time to comment on the project," she said.

For more information about Mountain View, log on to www.udot.utah.gov/mountainview. Tonight's public hearing will be at Willow Creek Middle School in Lehi from 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday's meeting will be at Copper Hills High School in West Jordan from 2 to 6 p.m.

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E-mail: nwarburton@desnews.com