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FARMINGTON — There is no shortage of emotion when it comes to the proposed West Davis Corridor, and UDOT representatives know it.
"We know that this is an emotional issue; we understand that on both sides. Whether you are for or against the recommendation, there will be some emotions," said UDOT project manager Randy Jefferies.
Tuesday night, hundreds gathered at the Legacy Events Center in Farmington for a public hearing on the proposed highway.
Inside, some voiced support for the recommended Alternative B1, which goes from Glover Lane in Farmington to 4100 West in Hooper.
But outside, protestors like Lori Kalt said the highway, no matter which alternative is chosen, isn't needed.
"(There are) a lot of people joining the movement and saying, ‘We oppose it for a lot of different reasons, and we think there's a smarter solution,'" Kalt said.
The protestors say money could be better spent analyzing and fixing roads which already exist. That would cost far less and wouldn't force anyone out of their homes, they say, and it wouldn't impact the environment — another concern among the opposition to the corridor.
"And then we step back and we re-evaluate: Do we still need the highway? You know, there's a lot of things we can do before we spend $600 million on a new highway," Kalt said.
But UDOT officials say that's exactly why they are holding three public hearings this week: to get feedback and evaluate all the options.
"This is not a final decision. This is a draft recommendation," Jeffries said. "The final decision will be based on much of the input we receive tonight."
There is a 90-day public comment period on the project that runs out toward the end of August. This will likely remain a fairly hot topic until that point, and then a final decision could come early next year.
