When we talk about Utah County's traffic problems, people naturally think first of Interstate 15.

It's a natural mistake. It has become a de facto local street since most people use it to get from one city to another in the county. And we're all aware of the ever-increasing congestion, especially during the twice-daily rush.

But Utah County's traffic system involves more than just I-15. There is a whole network of local roads that serve local communities and feed into it, just as smaller blood vessels move blood around the human body.

And as the county continues to grow, we will need to expand this network to handle more cars flowing from different areas.

Utah County has a plan for dealing with the growth. The County Commission recently enacted a $10 vehicle registration fee for road corridor preservation. Based on 2004 vehicle registration, the fee will generate $2.6 million a year that can be used to purchase rights of way.

While few people like paying more to register their cars, this is actually a justifiable motive for raising fees.

Like it or not, Utah County is growing and there is no way to stop it. The growing population, both from natural growth and move-ins, will add pressure to our road system, and will require new roads.

If the west side of Utah Lake develops as expected, there will need to be another road to provide service to that area. There is already discussion of extending a highway down the west side to Elberta or even to Nephi, providing an alternate to Interstate 15.

Waiting for the need to arise is the worst thing to do from a road planning perspective. It is cheaper to purchase rights of way while the land is undeveloped. Once an area gets built up, land becomes more expensive, especially if there are houses in the path of the proposed highway.

It is also better for developers to know where future roads are planned. That allows them to design subdivisions and new communities appropriately, rather than building and finding out that the plan does not mesh with new roads. Residential and commercial areas can be placed in relation to the proposal in a way that benefits everyone.

While it would have been better to have used a more general fundraising mechanism to finance the corridor, since everyone benefits from roads whether they drive or not, a vehicle registration fee is the next best way to do it. It says that if you are going to be part of the traffic problem in Utah County you are going to be a part of the solution as well.

By approving the fee before April 1, Utah County is eligible for matching funds from the state. This means the county money goes a bit further in acquiring rights of way and preserving future traffic corridors.

A $10 annual fee really doesn't strain a family budget, although a combination of many tax and fee increases might. But roads are a crucial priority, well worth 19 cents a week.

It's a worthwhile sacrifice that will mean orderly growth rather than haphazard reaction to problems once they're upon us. We cannot afford to wait.