There are two propositions dealing with the future of transportation in the county on the November ballot.

One, put forth by the county council, calls for a one-fourth of 1 percent tax increase to fund more roads. The other, which has the support of the Logan City Council, would also boost taxes by one-fourth of 1 percent to fund transit projects.

For Cache County Councilman H. Craig Petersen, there's only one way to vote in November - for roads. In fact, Petersen told the Logan City Council on Tuesday that the proposal to fund the Cache Valley Transit District is only getting in the way.

"I think the transit proposition is virtually without merit based on the ridership data," he said.

The transit system cannot make a case for doubling its budget, Petersen said, because the countywide buses are only 15 to 20 percent full.

On the other hand, Petersen said an infusion of funds, an estimated $3 million, would double the county's road fund and allow cities and the unincorporated county to buy rights-of-way for future roads.

"We can buy a new bus if and when we need one. We have traffic congestion now," he said.

Petersen said Cache County's population is expected to double in 22 years.

"Travel demand doubles twice as fast as population. The Cache Metropolitan Planning Organization says that in 2030 we'll have the kind of traffic delays they have in Salt Lake City and we'll have a $280 million gap in road funds," Petersen said. "These are roads we're going to have to build. It's really a question of, which generation pays for them and how much will they pay?"

If the road tax is passed by voters, a Regional Council of Governments, consisting of mayors and city council members in Cache County, will allocate the monies to the cities for construction and other road projects, including corridor preservation.

"This is the broadest based democratic process, where every community has a voice," Petersen said, adding that the Cache Metropolitan Planning Organization will have a list of priority projects for the Regional Council to consider. "You have the most critical needs. My expectation is that the large part of this money will go to Logan City."

But members of the Logan City Council were skeptical. Council member Stephen Thompson said the road tax fails to promote density.

"By building these types of roads, you're encouraging urban sprawl and it's goodbye to our open space," Thompson said. "The Cache County Council should lead the way in encouraging smart growth, not punching roads in our valley."

In other council business, Logan City unanimously agreed to annex 300 acres of property near Nibley along Highway 89/91. The property owners brought the request to Logan because they were dissatisfied with the Nibley city master plan.

abrunson@sltrib.com