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Show UTAH PRESS _ . ...... " , _ ... 1 o!I:o.:!'. tFatmington Residents Win Battle Over Area • Continued from B-1 '1.ib tation plan created by Horrocks Engineering of American Fork. Most of those recommendations will come before the City Council on Wednesday night, but the controversial plan to turn 400 West and State Street into a major traffie intersection will not. Instead, Horrocks Engineering will work with the city planning staff and an independent engineer hired by residents of the historic district to develop alternatives. But exacUy how the study. and recommendations were carried out without discussing them with Chris Lizzotte, Utah Department of Transportation preservation specialist for the region, is puz- das that I am aware or' In planning road changes. But some residents in the audience remained unconvinced , charging that several members of the citizen committee wanted the 400 West interchange to avoid · having a large Interchange near their properties In the vicinity of 650 West. • Kirk Huffaker, director of the Utah Heritage Foundation clalming 1,000 members - .told the commission a better alternalive would be to maintain the current 200 West access, but add impediments to slow traffic along State and 200 West. " Part of Far-mington's charm is the historic district" Huffaker said. Art Getz, an engineer hired by residents of the Clark district, told the commission he would be willing to work with Horrocks to develop alternatives. Scott Price, co-chairman of the Farmington Historical Museum Committee, appointed last year by the City Council to locate a site zling. Not Permitted: Charles Clark. who lives in the historic district honoring his ancestors, last week said Lizzotte told him on on three separate occasions within the past month that UDOT would not permit work on the controversial interchange. The only way UDOT allows impact on historical or archaeological sites is if there is no 'Other alternative to the project. City Manager Max Forbush and City Planner David Petersen did not return repeated phone calls from The Salt lAke Tribune to find out the terms of the contract with Horrocks Engineering. Clark also pointed out that when the Burke Lane, 1-15, Legacy Highway and Highway 89 interchanges are completed aecording to UDOT plans, Farmington will have interchanges to the interstate more closely paeked than those collecting and disbursing traffic in Salt Lake City. "We can't save open space in Farmington, but we can save the historic district," he said. . Surprised: Commission member Paul Freed, who also sat on the citizen committee to review road improvements, told the audience he was surprised'by the size of the turnout. "We never had more than five or 10 at the plan- ' ning meetings." Working with Horrocks, the citizen committee refined the proposals, including the suggestion for the street-level intersection at the corner of 400 West and State Street. requiring the demolition of one of the historic homes and the carving up of some lot frontage in the area. . John Massey, Planning Com. mission chairman, assured the au\... dience "there are no hidden agen- ) \ . . for a museum. noted that the proposed intersection would interrupt a planned walking tour for visitors to the Clark Lane museumsite. Other residents opposed the intersection, saying it would ruin the character of their neighbor~ hood and endanger their children it wlth increased traffic. Put Important, Too: "We were all In the dark about this," said Maureen Clark. "I know the steering committee was looking for low-impact solutions, but how much change do we need? Change is good, but preserving our past is important, too." . Vic Arnold charged: "The cure you have proposed for this problem is far worse than any disease. It's worse than the impact of the traffic increase over the next 20 '. YearB.." i COmmission member Kim Wallace launched into a philosophical monologue at one point, saying, ' ~I wish I ~d a crystal ball, but,l dOiifl'ta~~Ow Uaddlnl4,OOO cars a day in front of a school will take the life of one of your ehildren. Whit I don't know ia if an alternaU,,-';will , cost the life of someoD8:m the future." lI~ta'later, the commission the transplan· .,.;.;' which a~ -rorwarding pOjt8t1~ ' maater ~ some frontaje roads aDd least one 1-15 aecess ramp - .tcftbe'€ity Council with the soltitiOD to,the State Street and 200 West tlamc: problems still ' to come. . - ' - J :;,'Jf Contac:ted on Friday, RuaseD Youd of Horroeks Engineers said his firm will have to come up with furthet-alternatives for the same $49,000 fee In its original contrac:t:~Now we have to see if the Clt"Council agrees with the PlanniJIt,,-~mmission in eliminating the:mtenec:tion." , . -K~r'Uid he the pu~U~b,earing. "People who made<comments were extremely wen~ and had intelligent comments." . at 'enjOyed |
