TAYLORSVILLE — When Jeremy Harris bought his house eight years ago, he hoped it would be the place his family made memories they would recall for a lifetime.
Over the relatively short time they have lived in their friendly Taylorsville neighborhood, the married father of three has spent approximately $50,000 upgrading the property, including installing a new roof, solar panels, a new air conditioner, along with a tankless water heater and various other improvements.
But Harris' home and more than 20 houses on Alveron Drive would be among some 35 homes and two businesses designated for eminent domain as part of the Utah Department of Transportation’s 5400 South redevelopment project at Bangerter Highway.
“We’re conflicted emotionally,” he said. “Thinking about the move has caused a lot of anxiety and difficulty for our family.”
At a public meeting Tuesday at Taylorsville City Hall, concerned residents pored over maps outlining the expansion of Bangerter Highway, which is supposed to feature a new freeway-style interchange at 5400 South. The improvements will be similar to the newly redesigned interchanges on Bangerter Highway at 7800 South and Redwood Road.
UDOT spokesman John Gleason said earlier Tuesday that he wanted the hearing to result in "input and ideas" to help the agency make construction decisions long-term "that will benefit the area."
In one corner of the room at Tuesday's meeting, people who are slated to lose their homes huddled around right-of-way agent Mike Richardson, a contractor for UDOT, who explained the various ways in which they would be accommodated.
For some, the explanation for the project — as well as the options for their compensation — was not enough to replace the spot they call home.
Bill Rouleau, who has lived near 5200 South for 22 years, said he felt "shock" and "anger" over being told on May 2 that his home was one of the ones mapped out for destruction.
"We're bearing the brunt of UDOT's poorly designed highway from 30 years ago," said Rouleau, whose wife of 49 years passed away inside their home earlier this year.
Rouleau questioned the decision to wipe out homes instead of designating more businesses for eminent domain on the other side of the roadway. His neighborhood is tightly knit and has very low turnover, he said.
"We have a community here, not just a collection of houses," he said.
Rouleau also runs a woodworking business out of his home and will have to relocate that, he said. He isn't sure where he will move to next.
"I'd like to stay in Taylorsville," he said. "I like the area."
Rouleau and others are angry at what they say was short notice about their homes' designation. Affected homeowner Alex Lam said he was "numb the whole day" after learning of UDOT's plans via a flyer tacked to his door.
"That was not professional," he said. "We're human beings. We're not robots."
Lam was only a year or two away from paying off his mortgage, he said. Now he needs to buy a new home in the next few months, which seems like a nearly impossible task, he said. He added that his teenage daughter may need to change schools as a result of the move.
"What am I losing? I'm losing my future," Lam said. "I just cannot find anything similar enough to (the home) I already have. … I planned on not having to worry about a mortgage, but that's not going to happen anymore."
Harris said he wants clarity on how the eminent domain process would work.
“What I’m hoping to hear is timeframe,” he said. “What’s going to happen? When can we expect it and when can we move?”
Harris expressed concern about the amount of money he might receive for his property and whether it would be enough to purchase a comparable home in a comparable neighborhood in the Salt Lake Valley.
“Right now, housing is super expensive, so how do we find a house that is like what we have now for the same price?” Harris said.
Having just refinanced a few weeks ago, this situation has put his family in a potentially challenging circumstance, he said.
“I put money into the house because we were going to be in it forever,” Harris said. “Now that I’ve put all this money into the house, I want to get it back because (moving) is not something we ever expected to happen.”
Bangerter Highway opened in 1989, and since then the population around the area of 5400 South has grown and so has traffic congestion, Gleason said. For that reason, UDOT is rebuilding several interchanges along the heavily traveled roadway, he said.
The agency is conducting environmental studies for new Bangerter Highway interchanges at 5400 South, 7000 South, 9000 South, and 11400 South. The improvements would be designed to improve traffic flow, reduce delays and enhance driver safety, Gleason said.
The study for the 5400 South project is scheduled for completion later this month and construction is scheduled to begin, pending approval of the environmental study, as early as next year.
Taylorsville homeowner Larry Padilla, 67, has lived on his street for 30 years. His backyard abuts 5400 South and his property line is the boundary of where construction will occur for the $60.2 million project.
Padilla said leaving his longtime neighborhood would be difficult, but the move would give him and his wife a chance to make new friends.
“It’s an opportunity to move somewhere else,” he said. “I’m sad, but I’m ready.”
In previous meetings, UDOT has offered insight on how the process would work, including getting a property appraisal and provisions for relocation expenses, Padilla said.
He said he understands the need for the project, considering the major congestion that occurs during heavy commuting periods every weekday.
“If you try to get from 3200 West up to Bangerter (on 5400 South) during rush hour, it will take you 20 minutes or more,” he said. “(The project) will alleviate a lot of the traffic.”
Padilla said the problems with increasing traffic have also exacerbated environmental and noise pollution issues, especially for houses like his that are adjacent to Bangerter or 5400 South.
“You can’t even open your windows at night to get some fresh air because there is just too much noise with cars coming to a screeching stop. Then they rev up their engines to take off at the green light,” Padilla said.
For Harris, knowing that everything in his family’s life is going to change dramatically has created plenty of stress within his household.
“There is tons of anxiety and sleepless nights trying to figure out what the heck we’re going to do,” he said. “I understand the need for the project, but you would think there were options they could take that wouldn’t impact so many families if they really wanted to.”
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