The man who has been viewed as an enemy of Davis County for opposing its Legacy Highway is selling city-owned land to help make that highway happen.

Salt Lake City has already sold about 100 acres for the highway's proposed nature preserve, says the Utah Department of Transportation. The city now is selling another parcel - for less than $1,000, according to one estimate - to build an interchange for the highway, and it is expected to sell yet another piece for an unknown amount to expand Interstate 215 to feed into Legacy.

"Maybe that's a good sign of things to come," said Davis County Commissioner Alan Hansen, who has complained about how Anderson has helped hold up Legacy with a 2001 lawsuit.

But don't mistake the land sales for an endorsement. UDOT condemned the land for the interchange, and it could take the city to court again to get the portion for the I-215 expansion.

"Obviously, we're not supporters of the Legacy Highway," said Anderson's spokeswoman Deeda Seed. "I don't think it's a matter of anything other than practicality."

UDOT sees the transaction as routine. Spokesman Tom Hudachko said UDOT bought "100-plus" acres from Salt Lake City for about $1 million two to three years ago for the state's proposed nature preserve, which it is creating to mitigate the paving over of wetlands.

For Legacy's south interchange, where the highway will connect to I-215, the city is poised to sell a sliver of an acre (0.18). And Hudachko said UDOT will need another parcel, size unknown, to expand I-215.

Salt Lake City initially opposed the sale for the interchange - not because of the mayor's opposition to Legacy but because the city wanted to protect its oil-drain canal there. The city is expected to retain an easement for that.

UDOT now owns 90 percent of the right of way for the 14-mile highway proposed for south Davis County.

Salt Lake City's pending sales have surprised environmentalists and others who oppose the highway, but they aren't passing judgment.

"On the face of it, it sounds funny, but I don't know any of the particulars," said Roger Borgenicht of Utahns for Better Transportation.

The sales "might just be a wasted effort," said Sierra Club spokesman Marc Heileson. That's because Sierra Club and Utahns for Better Transportation have proposed an alternative to Legacy that calls for expanding Interstate 15 with reversible lanes, extending Redwood Road and accelerating and expanding transit options.

In 2001, the Sierra Club, Utahns for Better Transportation and Anderson sued to stop Legacy construction, saying federal agencies violated environmental, water and transportation laws in approving the road. The court ordered UDOT to redo its environmental study, which it still is working on.

Anderson has bowed out of future Legacy suits, but he still speaks out against the road, saying it will increase air pollution, sprawl and traffic congestion and exacerbate respiratory and cardiac diseases.

hmay@sltrib.com