BYU NewsNet - Lehi Residents Oppose UDOT's Mountain View Corridor Plan

By Holly Rose

Paul and Leslie Williams have lived with their family in Lehi for the past 11 years. They are now concerned that their property value will drop because of UDOT's Mountain View Corridor.

UDOT's preferred plan will put the freeway interchange four blocks from their residence, and it would be a mess, Leslie Williams said.

"It will almost certainly diminish our property value," Paul Williams said. "It will add considerable noise to anyone living nearby."

Like the Williams, many Lehi residents are worried about UDOT's plan for the Mountain View Corridor, which would bring a freeway connecter through the middle of Lehi, causing disruption of residences, businesses and school property.

The proposed plans were published in October in UDOT's Environmental Impact Study. The study outlined the UDOT's preferred plans for the project. Teri Newell, the project manager, on the Mountain View Corridor project, published the EIS.

UDOT's preferred plan is referred to as 2100 North. This plan would bring a freeway connector, six lanes in both directions, down 2100 North in Lehi, the new connection will allow commuters to travel from I-15 to the new UDOT Mountain View Corridor that will lie west of Lehi.

The 2100 North plan is UDOT's preferred plan because when compared with their other options, there was less impact on the wetlands, less relocation of homes and less cost associated with construction, Newell said.

"We have been discussing alternatives with Lehi for about a year now," she said. "Lehi gave us their current plan in August."

UDOT is in the process of looking at Lehi's alternative right now, Newell said.

"If it is what we call a reasonable alternative, then we will do more research. If not we will move on with our process," she said. "The Federal Highway Administration makes the final decision, and they won't make one until they have heard all public opinion."

UDOT hopes to have all the environmental issues cleared up in early 2009 and be able to start construction in 2010 at the earliest, Newell said.

Lehi city officials have drawn up their own proposal for a connection from I-15 to the new corridor that they say they believe will save money as well as cause less disturbance for the residents of Lehi.

Lehi's plan would connect I-15 to the Mountain View Corridor by using a freeway connector at 4800 North with three other arterial road options father south, and 2100 North will be one of the arterial road options; it would be three lanes in both directions, compared to UDOT's six lanes both ways, according to information from Lehi officials.

"My biggest concern it the 2100 North plan is close to my house and it is a monstrosity," said Paul Williams, a Lehi resident. "It will add at least five minutes of travel time to town just trying to navigate around the new interchange."

Lehi residents are also concern over how much private property will be affected by the 2100 North interchange.

"As the plan stands right now, the 2100 North plan will cut right through the old family farm of a friend of mine," Paul Williams said.

Lehi's proposed plan will affect five private property owners and three homes, according to information from Lehi officials.

"My main concerns with 2100 North are it will cut our city and business district in two and it will disturb Lehi's ground water," Lehi Mayor Howard Johnson said.

The 4800 North location would be shorter and save a significant amount of money over the next 30 years, save millions of gallons of gas, cut down on the loss of wetlands and cost less to build, he said. It will also keep 2100 North as a choice farther south.

Lehi's proposal would decrease the travel distance, for those going north/south, by 3.4 miles, which would save time as well as millions of dollars in travel expenses, according to Lehi officials. Lehi's 4800 North connector would be up to 60 percent shorter than UDOT's 2100 North option.

The Alpine school district is also concerned about the affects that the 2100 North option will have on the schools in the area.

"Our first concern is the safety of the students and how to get them safely to and from school," said Rob Smith, the Assistant Superintendent of business services.

The 2100 North plan will cut through property that is currently owned by the Alpine School District, where they are planning to build a new elementary school.

"We are concerned because we have had the plan for this school for a long time," Smith said.

Both proposals would interfere with the land that has been set aside for the school. UDOT's plan would impact approximately 12.8 acres of the land and Lehi's plan would impact approximately 5 acres, according to information from the school district.

Board members are concerned about the freeway running so close to the school and how that would impact the safety of the students.

The residents of Lehi have been actively involved in making sure that their concerns are heard and that the city and UDOT can reach the best possible outcome.