EXHIBITS
(In) The Road of Progress: The West Side and I-15: The Westside and I-15 Today
The Westside and I-15 Today
Introduction
The drive to Salt Lake City from Farmington, a small Davis County city north of Salt Lake, currently takes about twenty minutes. By 2050, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) projects this same drive will take one hour. To plan for the increased traffic along this vital commuting route, UDOT made a proposal in 2022 to expand the Davis County and Salt Lake I-15 corridor.[1] They offered two plans for the expansion, both of which would widen the freeway by six lanes on each side, making for a total width of 226 to 286 feet depending on the plan chosen.
Although promised as a traffic solution, some argue that the freeway expansion won’t solve traffic congestion. "We can't build our way out of traffic by building more lanes,” said Alessandro Rigolon, an Assistant Professor of City and Metropolitan Planning at the University of Utah.[2]
Nevertheless, UDOT is confident that the expansion, allotted $1.6 billion by the state legislature, is a needed investment in Utah’s infrastructure.[3]
“Our aim is to strengthen the economy, connect communities, and improve health and mobility for everyone who uses the I-15 corridor”
- Tiffany Pocock, Utah Department of Transportation Project Manager[3]
Although commuters welcome the expansion, residents of Salt Lake City's west side are concerned. If the expansion goes through, many of them may lose their homes or businesses in addition to facing environmental concerns.
Governor Spencer J. Cox tried to calm fears and reassure residents that relocation would happen only as a last resort.[4] Still, some residents publicly express doubt. These citizens feel that even if they do share their voice, they will not be heard.[5]
Governor Spencer Cox answers a question on how the expansion might affect homes alongside the freeway. [Video: 18:27-19:15]
“[UDOT]already made up their minds. They’ll have all the listening groups for show. And in the end, the state legislature will build it no matter what.”
-midwestmillie [6]
“It’s an easy argument to tell me to move to a better place, but then I would need Farmington wages to do so. That isn’t happening anytime soon. Why did they ask us? Because it affects us. Will it change the outcome? Not at all. They never listen to us anyway.”
-frank r. [7]
Endnotes:
[1] Taylor Anderson, “UDOT unveils details on new $1.6B widening of I-15 through SLC,” Building Salt Lake, November 15, 2022, https://buildingsaltlake.com/udot-unveils-details-on-new-1-6b-widening-of-i-15-through-slc/.
[2] Kim Bojórquez, “Some Salt Lake leaders concerned with UDOT's proposal to widen I-15,” Axios Salt Lake City, November 18, 2022, https://www.axios.com/local/salt-lake-city/2022/11/18/concern-udot-plan-widen-i-15-salt-lake-city.
[3] Carter Williams, “UDOT ponders major changes as it eyes I-15 overhaul from Salt Lake City to Davis County,” KSL.com, November 15, 2022, https://www.ksl.com/article/50514516/udot-ponders-major-changes-as-it-eyes-i-15-overhaul-from-salt-lake-city-to-davis-county.
[4] Spencer Cox, “Governor's Monthly News Conference, Dec 2022,” PBS Utah, streamed live on December 15, 2022, YouTube video, 45:25, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phULSwC4k9U. [Video: 18:27-19:15]
[5] Hugo Rikard-Bell, “West Side community voices concerns over I-15 expansion,” KSL News Radio, December 9, 2022, https://kslnewsradio.com/1980377/west-side-community-voices-concerns-over-i-15-expansion/.
[6] midwestmillie, December 10, 2022, comment on Sydnee Gonzalez, “Salt Lake west side residents voice opposition to I-15 expansion,” KSL.com, December 10, 2022, https://www.ksl.com/article/50536060/salt-lake-west-side-residents-voice-opposition-to-i-15-expansion.
[7] frank r., December 10, 2022, comment on Gonzalez, “Salt Lake west side residents voice opposition to I-15 expansion.”