Utah's fourth-largest city is at a crossroads. Virtually the only city in Salt Lake County with substantial growing room left, West Jordan faces decisions in the coming decade or so that will shape the quality of life on the western edge of the valley.

We worry that neither of the candidates for mayor of this evolving city -- City Councilwoman Melissa Johnson and Irene Casper -- is ready to use smart-growth strategies to create neighborhoods that discourage driving and decrease sprawl. Johnson, 39, is extremely knowledgeable about her city, where she has served four years on the City Council. But her approach to managing development leans toward the traditional suburban formula: large houses, separated by retail outlets and roads from multifamily housing and industrial areas.

She sees dense housing at transit-oriented areas filling that barrier role. However, modern planners promote TRAX station zones as walkable neighborhoods, desirable in their own right, not merely as buffers for subdivisions with large homes and large lots.

Casper, on the other hand, offers few specifics about her planning and zoning philosophy, other than to say large businesses should be located close to the planned Mountain View highway as a buffer for residential neighborhoods. She would like to see more "million-dollar homes" in the city. Casper, 49, envisions space for recreation, including all-terrain-vehicle use, but she offers no funding plan for the vision.

On other issues, Johnson's experience on the council gives her a definite edge over her opponent. She understands the importance of transportation options for West Jordan and wants to get the state formula for funding road maintenance changed so the city is eligible for more money to maintain its wider streets. She favors using the city's $4 million from an 8-year-old open-space bond to buy available land for future use and to develop existing park sites.

Johnson has lobbied legislators for road funds and represents the city on the Utah League of Cities and Towns. As a member of the Jordan School District transition team, she helped decide how to split district assets with the fledgling Canyons District, thus forming valuable networks and alliances.

Casper, a small-business owner and neighborhood activist, admits her knowledge about the city budget is minimal. She is a self-described "people person" who wants to see her city improve while maintaining its traditions, but her qualifications for making that happen are thin.

Our endorsement goes to Johnson.