Plus: Celeste Maloy, Becky Edwards and Bruce Hough meet deadline to qualify for primary ballot to replace Rep. Chris Stewart.
Growing pains: What the I-15 expansion will mean for Utah |
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| | Utah Department of Transportation’s $1.6 billion project to widen I-15 from Farmington to Salt Lake City has some residents and local business owners up in arms, and it's not just about the traffic. UDOT announced its plans to widen I-15 in November after a public comment period lasting from November 2022 through January 2023. According to a May report with details about what the expansion could look like, up to 57 residences and 33 businesses could be impacted by the new road boundaries, with 24 of the potentially impacted homes located in the Salt Lake City area. That leaves up to 33 other homes in areas like Bountiful, Centerville and Farmington vulnerable to the expansion. The impact could mean some people losing their homes — more information will be released in the fall — but even if a business or home doesn’t have to be relocated, some people would still experience impacts from the expansion such as noise pollution, air quality concerns and economic challenges. Melanie Hall, policy director of HEAL Utah, said while she understands UDOT has to keep up with population growth and address aging infrastructure, she would like to see them do more than just expand roads. She said alternatives such as funding public transportation, making designated lanes for buses on I-15 and creating more accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists should be something UDOT looks into. |
Read more about businesses along this stretch of I-15 that are concerned about the road's expansion. |
| The deadline has arrived for candidates jockeying to qualify for the primary ballot in the special election to replace 2nd Congressional District Rep. Chris Stewart. Following Stewart’s announcement that he would resign on Sept. 15, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox designated July 5 at 5 p.m. as the cutoff for qualified political parties to submit the names of candidates chosen at party conventions, and for signature-gathering candidates to submit signatures. Three Republican candidates — Celeste Maloy, Becky Edwards and Bruce Hough — have emerged, with the latter two still waiting for signature verifications to ensure their spot on the ballot. While Maloy is thought to carry an advantage going into the Republican special primary as the state GOP’s delegate convention winner, the last few years have seen several examples of the delegates’ nominee losing out to signature gatherers like former Utah gov. Gary Herbert, 3rd Congressional District Rep. John Curtis and U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney — a pattern Edwards and Hough are hoping to replicate. As of Wednesday morning, Edwards had submitted over 11,000 signatures, with at least one more batch expected before the 5 o’clock buzzer, according to a campaign staffer. This number comes in at well over the 7,000 signature threshold required by state law to make the primary ballot, reflecting a desire to avoid falling short because of discarded signatures. The lieutenant governor’s office will publish an ongoing tally of certified signatures each weekday morning at 9 a.m. Which you can access here. Edwards currently has 2,069 certified signatures.The Hough campaign submitted what they estimated was 10,500 signatures Wednesday afternoon. Utah GOP chair Rob Axson submitted Maloy’s name to the lieutenant governor’s office Wednesday in a statement just before the deadline. Read more about the three candidates' messages to 2nd Congressional District Republican voters. More in Politics Are Utahns really ‘party raiding’? (Deseret News) Sen. Mike Lee says he’ll never eat Ben & Jerry’s ice cream again (Deseret News) Biden’s 2024 presidential campaign — Hollywood style? (Deseret News) Judge limits Biden administration contact with social networks (Deseret News) | FROM OUR SPONSOR SALT LAKE PARADE OF HOMES Get ready to be amazed at this year's Salt Lake Parade of Homes event! With an impressive lineup of stunning homes, attendees can expect to witness the latest design trends, innovative technology, and masterful craftsmanship. Whether you're looking for inspiration for your upcoming home project or simply want to spend quality time with loved ones, this event is the perfect choice. Purchase your tickets today! | Health ‘Braintaining’ in retirement: Use it or lose it (Deseret News) Adults with autism face 'invisible crisis' due to shortage of services in Utah (KSL) Faith The story of faith and endurance that carried this Latter-day Saint runner to the U.S. Olympic trials (Church News) USC researchers use AI to help translate Bible into very rare languages (Religion News Service) Environment Utah’s ongoing efforts to boost dam safety, and why you should care (Deseret News) Dr. Brian Moench: 70% of Utah schools have air purifiers. What about the 30% that don’t? (Deseret News) Salt Lake and Utah Counties This Utah company wants to change the way people work from home (KSL) Utah Transit Authority aims to keep riders safe with new drone fleet (Fox 13) Salt Lake County woman found guilty of taking $10M after filing fake COVID-19 loan statements (St. George News) Utah County Sheriff’s Office hires deputies as growth continues in Eagle Mountain, Vineyard (Daily Herald) The West How one of Utah’s lawmakers is battling federal agencies over state lands (Deseret News) Woman dies while hiking Grand Canyon in triple-digit heat (Deseret News) The Nation White House evacuated after a suspicious powder substance was found in the west wing (Deseret News) Wisconsin roller coaster stalls with passengers stuck upside down (Deseret News) The World July 4 was Earth’s hottest day ever recorded (Deseret News) Time moved more slowly in the early days of the universe, study finds (Deseret News) Sports Day 2 of the Salt Lake City Summer League took place Wednesday. What do we know about the Jazz's rookies? (Deseret News) Conner Mantz headlines big Utah contingent at USA track and field championships (Deseret News) Big 12 women’s volleyball: Blue blood BYU program ready for a new challenge (Deseret News) BYU’s Kingsley Suamataia named to preseason All-Big 12 team (Deseret News) | Hot air balloons float over Fox Field at Balloon Fest in Provo on Tuesday. (Megan Nielsen, Deseret News) Read more about how Provo's Freedom Festival dazzled newcomers and paraded veterans. |
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