From Deseret News archives:
Get Mountain View Corridor comments in
But she doesn't consider herself lucky.
If Mountain View is built along 5800 West in Salt Lake County, Noyes said her home will be sandwiched between the eight-lane highway and a busy road two blocks east, where a transit line is also proposed. Other routes have been studied for the more than $2 billion Mountain View Corridor, but the Utah Department of Transportation has said it prefers 5800 West.
Noyes worries about pollution, safety and the general need for Mountain View, which is planned to run from western Salt Lake County into northwest Utah County.
"We couldn't be in a worse position," said Noyes, who lives in West Jordan near 5600 West and 8400 South.
She's encouraging residents to share their feelings about the road with the state. Since mid-October, the public has been invited to comment on a detailed study of the road, and Thursday, the public comment period will end.
By law, UDOT is required to respond to every public comment it receives. Once finished, the agency will release a finalized study of Mountain View, then submit the document to the federal government for approval.
Noyes believes public comment could influence the proposed location for Mountain View.
Teri Newell, UDOT project manager over Mountain View, says public comment is an important part of determining how and where the road is built. She is encouraging all people to provide input on the road. Three public meetings were held last year, and Newell said UDOT has received as many as 1,700 comments on the highway.
"It's important they (the public) are aware of the project and understand what the issues are," Newell said. "They should let us know if there is something they see that maybe we didn't see."
To submit a comment, or to learn more about the proposed highway, log on to: www.udot.utah.gov/mountainview. The Web site has a list of four ways to provide input on the road.
E-mail: nwarburton@desnews.com
