Land donation, transit line could accelerate Mountain View Corridor

Legislative leaders have just announced a deal with local developers to donate as much as $80 million worth of property for the Mountain View Corridor in southern Salt Lake County — a move that will likely expedite construction of the proposed highway.

In addition, it was announced the Utah Transit Authority and Utah Department of Transportation are working on a plan to build a mass transit line on 5600 West in Salt Lake County, adjacent to a proposed route for Mountain View along 5800 West.

The transit line has been a source of contention for environmental groups, who have expressed concern the state wants to build a pollution-producing highway without trying transit first.

Sen. Sheldon Killpack, R-Syracuse was one of the chief negotiators behind the land donation and transit construction, along with House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy. Killpack said the deal was made with collaboration between several groups, including environmentalists.

"These opportunities just don't present themselves every day," Killpack said of the agreement.

With the land donation, the state will have access to 50 percent of the property it needs to build a 10-mile stretch of Mountain View from 90000 South to Redwood Road. The donation is contingent upon UDOT beginning work on that segment within five years, and the agency said it is confident it can.

The cost to build that portion is estimated to cost $566 - $586 million. The total cost of building Mountain View is estimated to be over $2 billion. The road is planned to stretch 44 miles from I-80 in western Salt Lake County, into northwestern Utah County.

UDOT is finishing an environmental study of the highway and anticipates it could obtain federal approval for the road within the next year. Earlier this week, the Granite School District board approved a resolution asking that UDOT study a new alignment for Mountain View away from schools located along 5800 West.

The board is worried that pollution from a new highway could harm children's health.

UDOT has already studied several options for the road, including an alignment along 7200 West. The agency prefers 5800 West because it impacts fewer homes and wetlands that the 7200 West route.

---

E-mail: nwarburton@desnews.com