American Fork residents don't want their roads expanded to accommodate traffic from neighboring communities.

About 150 residents gathered at American Fork Junior High School on Tuesday night for a public hearing about plans to expand several roads.

The crowd repeatedly made it clear they didn't want to build larger roads. Over and over they demanded the city nix plans to expand 9600 North, 900 West, 900 East, 1120 North, 1100 East, and 50 South.

Residents said road expansion would force them to give up open space, increase air pollution, impact home values and put children walking to school in danger, and American Fork residents do not need or want the expansions.

Mayor Heber Thompson said repeatedly that American Fork residents also use the roads and that "these are our children moving in... It is just very obvious that with the growth in North Utah County we cease to be an island by ourselves in American Fork, and we are forced, as the communities grow together, to take a regional perspective on transportation. We cannot afford to take a parochial view."

Thompson gave residents about ten minutes per road to voice their concerns, and residents often chose a spokesperson to use the time. Discussing 9600 North, one resident said the city must not allow Highland, which shares the road with American Fork, to make plans to expand the road, saying open space must be protected and that only residents of Pleasant Grove and Cedar Hills would benefit from the expansion.

A road expansion must not take land from the golf course, or change the golf course environment by putting a major road near it, residents said.

Discussing 1100 East, Mike Olsen, administrator of American Fork Hospital, said the hospital will expand and a larger road must be in place to handle the traffic.

"People need access to the hospital," he said. "Now it is very difficult to get from Lehi to American Fork Hospital without winding our way through residential streets. The hospital is growing and we are trying to meet the needs of the city. We need that street to be able to accommodate the traffic."

Not everyone agreed with expansion plans. Speaking from the audience, one man said he lived on 50 South and was tired of hearing residents say they did not want road expansion in their backyard while they speed down the road in front of his home.

Councilman Dale Gunther said he was concerned about residents' "isolationist views."

"Let's make all roads in American Fork toll roads," he said sarcastically, to applause from the audience. "I kind of cringe a little when I feel feelings of distrust for public servants. We are not holding anything from you or hiding anything. We don't live in an isolationist society. When I go to a BYU football game I go through Pleasant Grove and Lindon.

"Don't just come to a public hearing and express yourself. Get involved. We have a transportation committee made up of citizen volunteers. Help plan the community and become knowledgeable and informed about the needs."

"We all drive the collector roads," said Howard Denney, director of public works. "That is how we get to the grocery stores, church and schools, that is how we take the children to their games. We are not doing it for developers. We are doing it so we can get to the destinations we want to in a reasonable time."

In a statement to the media before the meeting, American Fork officials said they planned the public hearing to "address the growing traffic concerns held by American Fork City residents... The council meeting is a result of a public opinion poll conducted in June 2007 amongst city residents. Traffic and growth were listed at the top of city residents' concerns."

Caleb Warnock can be reached at 443-3263 or cwarnock@heraldextra.com.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page B5.