As promised, city officials have warmed up their first-string lobbyists in a continuing battle to get Redwood Road widened.
The heavy hitters are the residents of West Jordan, who the city hopes will speak up - for the second time - about the horrors of driving the congested stretch of roadway.With the state Legislature set to convene in a few weeks, city officials also hope to pressure the Utah Department of Transportation to include the $30 million project in an appropriations bill. City officials say they aren't making a pie-in-the-sky request, they only want UDOT to allocate enough money for planned projects.
To that end, city officials recently included a statement in water bills mailed to all residents.
"Redwood Road is still NOT FUNDED," the flyer begins. It then asks residents to attend a public hearing at 7 p.m. Jan. 9 in the city's council chambers at 8000 S. Redwood Road. City Hall is locatedjust south of a 12-block stretch of Redwood Road that has long been on UDOT's short list for improvements.
Money for the project was committed, then retrieved in an administrative overhaul.
"We're very frustrated," said Wayne Harper, director of community and economic development for the city. "UDOT has now gone back and said they can't do anything until they get funding. We want to impress upon them the importance of transportation."
In an unorthodox lobbying effort, West Jordan in October erected a sign asking residents to call members of the state's transportation commission and complain about the road.
Although not amused with the tactic, UDOT commissioners met with West Jordan and the two groups agreed to compromise on some ways to get the project done. The city would pay some right-of-way costs, for example, Harper said.
West Jordan replaced the sign's harsh wording with warm thanks to the commission and appreciation for getting the project "back on track."
But nothing's happened, so Harper says that on Jan. 3 he'll bring out a banner to drape across the 4-by-8-foot sign stationed on Redwood Road near 6700 South. It will inform the public that the road is not funded.