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SALT LAKE COUNTY -- The massive Mountain View Corridor project is moving forward in spite of an unexpected hike in its cost. The higher expense is tied to one of the biggest challenges for the project so far: acquiring land.
Creating the Mountain View Corridor will require a $2 billion investment over many years. But for now, the Utah Department of Transportation is focused on building a smaller section, roughly between 9000 south and 16000 South in Salt Lake County; and in Utah County, plans are moving forward to build 2100 North from Redwood Road to I-15.
The cost of the Salt Lake County portion is at least $730 million, maybe up to $10 million more as of Thursday. The reason: a half-mile section of land UDOT is going to have to purchase. The land owner has withdrawn an offer to donate the land.
"We're disappointed the donation didn't happen for this piece," said project director Teri Newell. "But we do have two other major donation pieces that are happening, and with the bidding environment that we have right now, construction prices are low."
Most people welcome the Mountain View Corridor as a way to ease pressure on roads west of I-15, an area that has become increasingly crowded with new development. But the recession brought that development to a halt, and the company that originally donated the land can't afford that now.
"The biggest change was the market crashing and making it much more economically difficult to sponsor such a large donation," explained Dave Millheim, president of Wasatch South Hills Development. "We just cannot say to our investors that it makes sense to do at this moment in time."
A section of the Mountain View Corridor project near Herriman is expected to begin construction next spring. But each side of the project, to the north and south, will go on for years.
UDOT still has to acquire land north of 9000 South too, but officials are confident the west-side freeway will be a reality in the next decade.
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Story compiled with contributions from Richard Piatt and Randall Jeppesen.
