The vast majority of residents in Davis County are fed up with the environmental activists of the Sierra Club and the Future Coalition. In the media, we see repeated opposition to the highway from people in Salt Lake City and even out of state. They're not directly affected by the traffic delays that would be alleviated by the highway.
Lessening these delays will increase our quality of life by decreasing air pollution. Vehicles will produce less emissions when sitting in our garages rather than sitting on the freeway. If increased air pollution were really their motive for opposing, they would be suing the state to get the Bangerter highway or I-215 shut down. Why aren't they? It's unreasonable. So is their opposition to the Legacy Highway.
I hear them bellyaching that building this road will cause more sprawl. Then they turn around and argue that we haven't investigated commuter rail or light rail as an option. Relying on rail won't cause sprawl? Ridiculous!
What is really behind the growth in Davis and Weber counties? Why are there new homes and businesses? The reason is not new roads. It's because we're a family-oriented community who believe in having kids. To us, children are not a burden, but a blessing. The Sierra Club would have us believe that new roads somehow produce more population! This road is being built because of the new growth. Not vice versa.
I have heard environmentalists, including the Sierra Club, argue that we should be paying for the "true costs" of our lifestyle. They should be paying for the "true costs" of their lawsuit. We applaud the efforts of our elected leaders to help the opponents of this road pay for this unjustified delay in construction.
Kyle Stowell
Farmington