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Angry residents confronted elected officials at Lehi City Hall Tuesday night to demand representation in UDOT's proposed SR-92 expansion project.
One outcome of the public outcry was that Council members and the mayor agreed to attend two neighborhood meetings with residents and Utah Department of Transportation officials.
The residents of Brookhaven and the Bull River area want to see plans for State Road 92 place the project farther north toward Traverse Mountain, sound barriers built, and another access to the corridor between Center Street and 1200 East with fewer traffic lights and intersections to the west.
State Road 92 extends from Interstate 15 near Thanksgiving Point in Lehi through Alpine, Highland and American Fork Canyon. UDOT presented its preferred alternative in May for expansion of SR-92 -- including a 2-mile, two-lane expressway through north Lehi south of a four-lane highway. The entire project is estimated to cost $260 million and construction is expected to be completed in fall 2010.
"We feel the citizens of Highland and Alpine have been heard, but as Lehi residents, UDOT has not heard our appeal," said Vaughn Beames. "As we've gone through this process, we have felt like we've been jacked around. We feel like we've had to do this by ourselves and when we needed help no one was there."
He said they had 177 residents sign a petition and submitted it to UDOT, but had received no response.
There were 50 people who showed support of seven to nine speakers demanding why Council members had not represented their interests.
"Because of this lack of representation, we are faced with one, an expressway that will mainly serve a few certain people who live in Alpine, people who wanted to be able to drive the expressway so they could drive the 3.5 miles in 12 minutes rather than 22 minutes," said resident Janet Tuten.
One of the speakers included Mayor Howard Johnson's wife, Elaine Johnson.
"We have submitted the petition, we've been to all the meetings and it seems like it doesn't make any difference," she said.
UDOT made an agreement with Traverse Mountain before Cabela's was built that there would be five intersections with traffic signals, all within one mile, according to city engineer Lorin Powell.
Agreements can be negotiated, said the residents.
Tuten also said the proposed UDOT highway plans have the thoroughfare being built within 230 feet of Bull River Road and the homes there. Possible devaluaton of the homes by $100,000 to $140,000, an increase in highway noise and pollution and creation of a two-lane express "luge" were some of the complaints shared by the residents.
Mayor Johnson and the Council agreed with the residents that improvements were needed for SR-92 expansion plans.
"The reality of it, some things are beyond our control," said Councilman James Dixon. "There are some things that we can do and in fact we have."
He said the city and residents could work on what they are able and try and work with UDOT on future plans of improvement after the expansion is done.
Councilman Mark Johnson, who is the liaison for streets and planning, agreed with Dixon.
"There are limits as to what we can do as a city, we are subservient to the state," Councilman Johnson said. "I have talked to UDOT absolutely about your very same concerns." |
