FARMINGTON -- The connection isn't here yet, but officials have a pretty good idea of where it's going to go.

UDOT representatives, city officials and local engineers conducted a public information and planning study meeting June 21 at the Davis County Fairgrounds to discuss a potential corridor for a connection between the Legacy Parkway and North Legacy Highway.

The meeting started off with the asking of questions from an audience of nearly 200 concerned area residents, who were primarily from Farmington. The panel of speakers to answer questions included Senator Sheldon Killpack, WFRC (Wasatch Front Regional Council) Executive Director Chuck Chappell, Horrocks Engineering representatives Ron Mortimer and Russell Youd and UDOT Region 1 Engineer Cory Pope.

"I thought the meeting went well and was a success, and it was a really important thing for citizens to be able to hear from policy makers," said meeting facilitator Lori Isenberg. "The purpose of the meeting was for the people to ask questions and get answers and they did."

Speakers for the meeting covered the option for a corridor based on existing development, proposed land use and zoning and availability of land for corridor preservation. According to the state legislature, the corridor must have a direct connection to I-15, a direct connection to the Legacy Parkway, local access connections to the Legacy/North Legacy Parkway and meet the transportation needs based on 2040 predictions.

UDOT Regional Public Involvement Coordinator Andy Neff said the chosen corridor option (known as 'Option 3' out of four possible options), which follows the Denver & Rio Grande alignment with a combined system interchange between State Street and Glovers Lane and has access provided from a grade separated interchange near Park Lane, best meets the legislature's requirements.

This option, which would cause some to lose their homes if it goes forward, has an estimated planning level cost of $260 million, while the other three have costs of more than $300 million.

The study area for the connection between Legacy Parkway, I-15 and North Legacy all lies within the municipal boundaries of Farmington City, and the area was chosen because of the convergence of the individual highway alignments. Legacy Parkway and I-15 parallel each other as they extend toward the north, currently terminating at the I-15/US-89 interchange.

Farmington Mayor Scott Harbertson, who was the last to speak, also agreed that Option 3 would be the best choice based on its operating characteristics of I-15 and the Legacy Parkway.

"I admit that Option 3 is the best option they're proposing in my mind for a number of reasons," he said. "I love Farmington and don't want to divide it up again, even though some think I might, and I'll do anything to help the process to find the solution to the problem."

The next step for UDOT is to apply to the city and go before the planning commission to have Option 3 added to the master transportation plan.

"If it passes there, corridor preservation can begin," said Pope. "An official environmental process would begin within 10-15 years."

The selected corridor for a connection between the existing Legacy Parkway and future North Legacy Highway will be used in land use planning and corridor preservation activities, and it will be a continuation of the Legacy Parkway.

To find out more on Legacy Highway, visit the new link at www.farmington.utah.gov.



dradunich@davisclipper.com