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Posted: 12:27 PM- BRIGHAM CITY - The Utah Department of Transportation announced Wednesday its preferred route to connect Interstate 15 with the proposed Mountain View Corridor.

The upshot: Steer the road farther north from Utah Lake to protect more wetlands and more homes - and save money in the process.

Project Manager Teri Newell told the Utah Transportation Commission here Wednesday that the six-lane 2100 North freeway in Lehi emerged as the best of three alternatives because it would bring the least impact to the community.

"The 2100 North freeway meets the transportation needs with fewer homes and business relocations and less impact to wetlands," she said.

The other two options were a freeway at 1900 South (closer to Utah Lake) or a series of three arterial roads at Porter Rockwell, 2100 North and 1900 South.

The 2100 North freeway would cost $540 million - $150 million less than the 1900 South freeway and $100 million less than the arterials.

UDOT's preferred alternative is expected to reduce traffic delays on the planned Mountain View Corridor and I-15 by 50 percent between 3 and 6 p.m. The other options would cut traffic by 60 percent.

However, the 2100 North alignment would require 29 home relocations, UDOT said, compared with 127 for the southern freeway and 72 for the arterial roads.

In addition, 2100 North would encroach on 14.7 acres of wetlands compared with 90 acres for the southern route and nearly 60 for the arterials.

UDOT will continue to study all three alternatives as part of its environmental-impact statement. The transportation commission will make the final route selection in the fall after a public hearing.

In 2008, the Federal Highway Administration is expected to release its decision on the preferred route along with the impact study.

Construction could begin after funding is secured.

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