In the worst-case scenario, making the proposed Mountain View Corridor a toll road would cover $1.1 billion of the estimated $1.8 billion construction cost, according to information released Friday.

So -- does that make the glass two-thirds full or one-third emptyfi

"Some people look at it as the bad news is, 'Tolls only cover two-thirds of the project,' " said Teri Newell, the project's manager. "The flips side of that is, 'Tolls cover two-thirds of the cost!' "

No decision has been made on whether the corridor -- which would run on the west side of Interstate 15 and connect Interstate 80 with north Utah County -- will be a toll road or not. The exact route hasn't been established either, and there will be many more discussions of those issues before plans are made final, which is expected in 2008.

Still, the information presented Friday will help decide whether drivers will pay tolls to use the road or not, one of the key questions for this project.

The tolling analysis prepared by the Utah Department of Transportation looked at four options: building the entire road, building it in phases, having a private entity build and operate the road, and having a private entity build the road in phases.

"When we phase it, what we're doing is building the piece that gets the most traffic and delay the parts that have the least traffic," Newell said.

In each case, the analysis looked at construction costs verses toll revenue, and in each case, toll revenues wouldn't be enough to pay back the full cost of construction.

The funding gap shrinks in the scenarios involving a private entity, according to the study.

"The big question to be asked is, 'Is it worth it to do those things to reduce the gap furtherfi' " said Newell. "That's the question we're putting out there."

More tolling information will be released in about a month, UDOT spokesman Nile Easton said.

A public hearing on the project is expected early next year, and if final plans are adopted as anticipated in 2008, construction would begin in 2009 or 2010.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page D1.