From toll roads to trains to freeways, regional planners are asking north Utah County residents to weigh in on what the future of transportation should look like.

As part of a study of east-west transportation choices extending through 2040, planners are asking residents to help develop long-term corridor-preservation strategies while supporting local economies, retaining quality of life and banishing congestion.

At the second of the six meetings, held in Eagle Mountain on Wednesday, residents were given three stickers and asked to place them on their favorite potential solutions for fighting gridlock -- in effect voting for the future of transportation, said Shawn Seager of Mountainland Association of Governments, which is Utah Valley's regional planning organization.

Almost 90 people turned out for a similar meeting in American Fork on Tuesday, he said, noting he was hopeful for similar turnouts at the rest of the meetings.

The population of north Utah County will double over the next 25 years, he said, and now is the time to prepare for that. Future roads of different sizes, as well as train and bus routes and even bike and pedestrian paths, must be identified soon so that land can be set aside for them over time before homes are built.

For example, the public will be asked if they prefer freeways or a series of smaller roads, he said. All votes will be tallied over the next several months, and planners will use that information to bring back three future alternatives for north Utah County. The public will vote again in May for which of the three they prefer, and that information will be taken to a legislative committee to consider.

The choices are not trivial, said Jerry Rowan, an Eagle Mountain resident for four years. He is concerned that if there were ever a large-scale disaster, residents would be trapped.

"Not everyone would be able to get out and it would contribute to a lot of fatalities," he said.

In addition, existing roads are dangerous because they are too narrow, unlit and frequently crossed by deer. Rowan said he would like to see toll roads or impact fees, if that is what is necessary, to speed improvements.

Time is of the essence, he said. Construction prices seem to rise every year and the longer the state puts off making improvements, the more they will cost.

"We need to get it done not tomorrow but today," he said of improvements. "We need to get going."

Those kind of concerns affect the choices residents must make about the future of transportation, Seager said. While some residents may prefer a freeway, "if the freeway breaks down, you only have one," he said. On the other hand, a series of smaller roads may not move cars as fast. Residents are being asked to decide what the future should look like.

Transportation choices also affect the economy because shoppers can be discouraged in areas with congestion, and large businesses considering a move to Utah Valley or the state could be turned off by transportation problems, Seager said.

Creighton King of West Valley, who is a developer in Eagle Mountain, said he will eventually move to the city and wants to make sure there are plans for the quality of life of not only his customers, but his own family.

"I do not want to adopt a New York City approach to transportation in a semi-rural environment," he said. "The cost is too high and it is not right for the taxpayers to pay for people riding TRAX. I would rather have a traditional transportation system with big freeways and big lanes and quick access. I don't want to sit on a train, because I have done that and I don't like it."