Land Developers Donate Right-of-Way for Mountainview Corridor

Feb 22, 2008 by Jeff Robinson

Sen. Killpack Calls It "A Monumental Step"

(KCPW News) Today, Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill announced that three land developers are donating a significant portion of the land where UDOT will build the MountainView Corridor: Kennecott Lands, Sorensen Development, and Development Associates. Senator Sheldon Killpack from Davis County called the donation "monumental."

"For them to come to the table with this amount, we're talking in excess of $60 million of land donation to the project," he said. "That's phenomenal. And when you're talking about preserving corridors and moving forward with the corridors, it truly is a monumental step."

UDOT plans to purchase the land from the developers, and the proceeds will then be donated back toward construction of the project. Lawmakers estimate this particular segment, which extends from 90th South to Lehi, will cost $560 million.

House Speaker Greg Curtis says the three companies have no ulterior motives in donating the land.

"We took the deal to them," he said. "They didn't modify it, they didn't negotiate us down. We took the deal to them, and they took months of working up through corporate headquarters in international areas to get approval for this. These are not gentlemen who are here under self interest. These are good, corporate citizens."

Lawmakers have promised the three companies they will make their best efforts to start building this segment of the corridor within five years. They estimate the entire highway will cost $2.5 billion.

Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2008 KCPW