Comments sought on transit and road needs

SYRACUSE — Not happy with your transportation options? This is the time to tell those who are planning for future transportation and transit needs.

The Wasatch Front Regional Council is working on the next iteration of its 30-year plan for how to get people from here to there.

And the council needs comments from the public and from city leaders about the issues facing their cities, like when Farmington Mayor Scott Harbertson pointed out the limited access to I-15 from western Farmington and Kaysville.

Or when West Valley City sent the council a letter detailing 11 needs.

By mid-2011, the council will adopt its regional transportation plan, which the Utah Department of Transportation and Utah Transit Authority are obligated to follow when pursuing projects to fund.

Composed of 18 local politicians representing cities from Salt Lake, Tooele, Morgan, Davis and Weber counties, the council is responsible for coordinating transportation planning from Salt Lake County to Weber County.

Already, the council is aware of needs on Riverdale Road and on state Route 126 through northern Davis County. The future development of Falcon Hill Aerospace Research Park, which will be built on the west side of Hill Air Force Base, will require some creative planning, as well.

The project means 20,000 jobs, or 20,000 people who will need to access the area around Sunset, Clinton and Clearfield in the next few years.

An I-15 offramp planned for 1800 North in Sunset is at least seven years away but could be moved up.

"For (Falcon Hill) to be successful, it has to have good transportation options," said Greg Scott, a Wasatch Front transportation planner.

Sam Klemm, the council's public-information officer, said roads are like the arteries of commerce. If they get too clogged and congested, commerce can fail. There are lots of ways to make roads free-flowing, Klemm said.

"We believe it takes a balance of highways and transit," he said, adding that buses, light rail and commuter rail should bear a larger share of the commutes along the Wasatch Front.

Currently, few buses operate west to east in Davis County. If there were more buses, more people would be likely to take a bus to a commuter-rail station, he said.

The council is asking for comments on a variety of issues, including transportation, transit and bike trails.

The current regional transportation plan is available online at www.wfrc.org. Contact the council at 801-363-4250.

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