SIGNS OF PROTEST: Kids were an integral part of a Thursday night rally to protest UDOT’S alignments of choice for the proposed West Davis Corridor, which will take the road through their neighborhoods.
The night before, about 300 people attended a town hall meeting in Farmington, also mainly voicing opposition to the routes which impact neighborhoods in both west Kaysville and west Farmington, and depending on the alignment will cause between 95 and 137 homes to be demolished.
The Department of Transportation has received 5,000 comments since a meeting was held at the Legacy Events Center earlier this month, causing the agency to extend the comment period to March 25. Comments can be made at westdavis@utah.gov.
Residents in the areas believe their rallies, written and vocal comments and a billboard put up next to I-15 are helping to change UDOT’s mind on the alignments.
“We’re doing just exactly what UDOT told us to do,” said Kaysville resident James Burton.
“We’re offering substantive comments and suggestions. The fact we had almost 600 people at a rally Thursday night says that we’re united in this.”
For Burton, the issue goes well beyond that of the neighborhoods in the western portion of the two cities. “The effects (of the alignment) are not limited to the neighborhood. They will affect all of northern Utah,” he said, explaining that two of the proposed alignments will drop southbound traffic right onto I-15, causing bottlenecks and safety hazards in the event of a major disaster.
“We all recognize the options through the south portion (of the West Davis Corridor) are not as plentiful,” he said, adding that it’s another reason the alignment should be placed farther west, rather than near I-15, and the rail corridor, with U.S. 89 not far away.
Still, most protesters are concerned their home, their neighbor’s home, or entire neighborhood may wind up being taken out to build the road.
On Thursday, youngsters again carried placards proclaiming, “Please Move the Corridor West,” and “Save Our Neighborhoods, Go West.”
Kaysville resident Christine Peck said residents living in the affected areas in both west Kaysville and west Farmington are united together in one neighborhood.
“We are two separate cities, but our kids all go to school together, we go to church together and we are friends,” said Peck. “We’re in different cities, but in the same neighborhood.”
She added that with the proposed alignments, she won’t be able to get to her friends’ homes in Quail Crossing.
Peck added when people bought their homes, “We wanted to stay here for 30 years.”
Those attending the Farmington town hall meeting were no less adamant.
Despite problems with power outages at the Community Arts Center Wednesday night, Mayor Scott Harbertson explained to the overflow audience that the city has always favored the alignment adjacent to I-15, and changed its mind only when city officials thought the I-15 route had been ruled out.
He gave a detailed timeline of planning commission and city council recommendations and actions regarding the route and promised to put all the information on the city’s website.
But, while most residents disagreed with the city’s position, they remained civil, admitting to the reality the road will be built, like it or not.
“We all know the road is coming,” said Alex Leman. “If it’s not in my backyard, it’s in your backyard.”
He asked Harbertson, why, as the city grew, officials didn’t consider those changes which he believes should have affected the city’s choice for the alignment.
Frank Sutton, an attorney representing the Buffalo Ranch area accused the city of bowing too quickly to the wishes of UDOT.
“You don’t realize the damage you’ve caused, by being so swift to bow to UDOT,” he said.
One man spoke up for city officials saying he believed the alignment adjacent to I-15 would “have the least impact on all of us.”
mwilliams@davisclipper.com
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