SEPTEMBER, 2002 --APPEALS COURT SWATS LEGACY, NIXES EIS

What is the Proposed Legacy Highway?

Governor Leavitt is proposing a new 120 mile freeway that would run from Nephi to Brigham City. The proposed route for the Legacy Highway would travel north from Nephi along the west side of Utah Lake. It would continue along the eastern shore of the Great Salt Lake, cutting a terrible swath through world renowned wetlands and fertile farmlands, contributing to automobile-dependency and sprawl.

The Utah Department of Transportation is not studying alternatives that would reduce auto dependency by integrating vastly increased mass transit with bicycle and pedestrian oriented development. UDOT is required to analyze all feasible alternatives to meet transportation needs.

Why should you be concerned with the
Legacy Highway?

The Legacy Highway will destroy world renowned wetland habitats
The Great Salt Lake Wetlands, one of the most important inland shorebird breeding grounds in the world, are a designated Western Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve Network Site. A full third of the 10 million ducks of the Central and Pacific flyways and 500 bald eagles utilize these wetlands each year.

The Legacy Highway will threaten some of Utah's most productive farmlands
The path of the Legacy Highway and the sprawl induced by it will cause the last remaining farmlands along the Wasatch Front to disappear. Davis and Weber Counties alone produce most of the milk for the Wasatch Front, with 43 grade A dairies yielding over 40,000 gallons a day.

The Legacy Highway will cost taxpayers dearly
Just the first 11 miles of the Legacy Highway are estimated to cost over 300 million dollars. The costs of the full 120 mile length will be in the billions of dollars. Studies show that new residential sprawl costs more for services than is brought in by taxes.

The Legacy Highway will worsen our air pollution problem
Air quality standards are tough to meet with our current six lane I-15 and new, tougher air quality standards are being implemented. Now, UDOT is doubling I-15 and with the addition of the Legacy Highway, Utah's air will become increasingly unhealthy to breathe.

Legacy Highway will increase traffic instead of reducing it
Transportation experts agree that the construction of new highways encourages more and longer car trips, more sprawl, more auto dependency and increased congestion.