Granite district opposes Mountain View Corridor route

A proposed Mountain View Corridor route found a new enemy Tuesday night: Granite School District.

The Granite Board of Education approved a resolution encouraging the Utah Department of Transportation to find a different spot for the corridor other than 5800 West, where it would cut across two schools' campuses and come within 500 meters of three others.

"I can't help but ask myself, are we more concerned with wetlands, or our children?" board member Gayleen Gandy said. "I'm just sorry it took us this long to get involved."

The board joins Utah Moms for Clean Air and the Sierra Club in opposing the 5800 West proposal, and is believed to become the first governmental entity in Salt Lake County to oppose the route for environmental and safety reasons.

The board's resolution will be sent to UDOT, West Valley City and legislators.

The resolution comes after UDOT's official comment period ended in January on a draft study of the road. However, both UDOT and the Federal Highway Administration will take the board's position into consideration, said Teri Newell, UDOT project manager over Mountain View Corridor.

"We take anybody's comments into account," Newell said.

The Mountain View Corridor is a multi-lane highway planned to run about 40 miles from the northwest corner of Salt Lake County into northern Utah County. UDOT now is reviewing public comments about routes for the road, and anticipates it could obtain federal approval to build Mountain View sometime next year.

UDOT has been studying the road for the high-growth, west side for about five years. Although no specific route for the highway has been approved, UDOT has said it prefers Mountain View run down 5800 West in Salt Lake County and 2100 North in Utah County.

Newell said there were "a lot of compelling reasons for 5800 West," including the fact that fewer wetlands and homes would be impacted, and it is "more central to the people who are using it."

West Valley City and two Magna community councils support the 5800 West option. But the Hunter Council PTA wants at least the city to rethink its backing, and hopes the school board resolution will help.

"I'm hoping to make more people aware there's a genuine concern out there," said Linda Hansen president of the Hunter Council PTA, which includes nine schools in the Hunter High School community.