"The real sleeping giant UDOT will be facing soon is the community of Lehi, because they do not want to be the sacrificial zone for a new freeway."

So spoke Marc Heileson of the Sierra Club on Saturday after giving 40 Utah County residents a walking tour of wetlands along Utah Lake that the environmental group says will be impacted by the proposed Mountain View Corridor freeway.

At the end of the tour, those in attendance were encouraged to send letters protesting the freeway to UDOT and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Again and again as the group braved bitter temperatures to trudge through ice and frozen marsh grasses to see wetlands, concerns surfaced about the impact of the freeway on their homes and property.

Claude Lamph said he owns a 160-acre farm on the shore of Utah Lake near American Fork which will be bisected by at least one of the proposed routes for the 320-foot-wide freeway. The farm has been in his family for more than 100 years, but could now be taken by eminent domain, along with four homes of family members, leaving the remaining farm split into thirds, he said.

"Once its gone, its gone," he said, pointing to the marshes and farmland. "You need have an area that is left natural where you can go to jog, ride a bike, or catch a fish in a creek."

In addition, remains of Native American camp sites on the land would be destroyed, said his son, Tyree Lamph.

"This is one of the finest urban wetlands in the nation," said Gordon Lind of the Sierra Club, noting that millions of birds rely on the site as a rest stop on their migration route. "It's large and its pretty much untouched."

Pat Bunjes of Eagle Mountain said she is concerned by the environmental impacts, but also because property she owns would be impacted by the new road. Entire neighborhoods could suddenly find themselves living next to a major thoroughfare, significantly decreasing their property value and safety while increase noise levels.

Lyle Gomm of Lehi said he is part of a nascent grass roots organization opposing the freeway. The group will begin holding regular meetings next month.

According to UDOT's Web site, four sites are being considered for the freeway.

"Concerns have been raised regarding the proximity of the alignment of the southern freeway alternatives to Utah Lake," said UDOT officials in a statement on the Web site. "UDOT is now analyzing potential alignment shifts that may have fewer wetland impacts but would instead have different impacts to the local communities than current alignment options."

The freeway is necessary because of growth in Eagle Mountain and Saratoga Springs, as well as Traverse Ridge, but residents of Lehi, American Fork and unincorporated county areas will be forced to give up their property if the freeway is built, said the Lamphs and Heileson.

Pointing to the filthy air over Utah Valley, Heileson told those gathered that Saturday was the perfect day to illustrate why mass transit should be considered before more freeways.

"Even if the road misses your house, the air will hit your kids," he said. "We need to say 'Let's make changes now, let's do something better.' "

Heileson also said he was disappointed that UDOT officials "had learned nothing" from the environmental fight with the Sierra Club over Legacy Highway.

Mass transit, combined with a much smaller system of new roads, should be brought to Utah Valley as soon as possible, he said, and a spur route or bus-rapid transit system should be extended to Cedar Valley to lessen the traffic coming from Saratoga Springs and Eagle Mountain.

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

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page B1.