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Show Road planning discussed at UDOT district meeting anning for roads into the rich gy area of Uintah County was the i input from local residents at-ling at-ling the Utah Department of importation annual district meeting rsday of last week. im Taylor, UDOT commissioner i Moab, compared the Uintah nty energy potential to that of his i during the early uranium boom s He said the companies mining the lium had to help finance by jayment of taxes the expensive task instructing roads into many remote as. This is what will ha ve to be done inlah County. Taylor said the DOT not have the kind of funds needed to d the necessary oil shale roads, but ii federal help and prepayment of 0 alps taxps by companies using resource the roads could be meed, Wrict DOT Engineer Jim West ned some of the road projects now under construction with their mileage and estimated cost as follows: In Uintah County-Ashley Creek and Steinaker canal crossings, $229,000; Vernal Main Street, 1.59 miles', $1,440,000; Main Street sidewalks, 100 West to 900 East, $9,200. In Duchesne County projects include-Neola Loop road, 4.76 miles, $960,000; Duchesne River road, 4.28 miles, $490,000. Projects currently programmed for construction in Uintah County by the DOT include sidewalks near 1750 South in Naples, $35,000; sidewalks 1980 South to 2200 South in Naples, $12,000; and sidewalks from Maeser Junction to Vernal South city limits, $6,000. In Duchesne County programmed projects include the Duchesne River road 4 miles, $700,000; West Roosevelt, and Myton intersection 2 miles. $1,100,000; sidewalks in Duchesne city from 3rd South..to Main Street, $9,500; sidewalks in Roosevelt city from 300 East to 400 East and 200 West to 250 West, $8,800. In Daggett County sidewalks are . planned for Main Street, 200 West to 200 East in Manila, $4,000. UDOT projects currently programmed for preliminary engineering in Daggett County are listed for Minnies Gap to Brown's Park, 26 miles, $70,000. In Uintah County the Jensen to Red Wash road is listed for 16 miles and $170,000. The lead-off statement for local input was given by Gayle McKeachnie, president of the Vernal Area Chamber of Commerce. He said the direct route road from Vernal to Bonanza should be the top priority for future road planning. plan-ning. He also stressed the importance of maintaining a commercial carrier at the Vernal airport and also stressed the importance of improving the Provo Canyon road as a vital link to the Uintah Basin area. Uintah County Commissioner Neal Domgaard also gave information supporting the importance for building a direct route road from Vernal to Bonanza. Rulon Anderton and Loryn Ross, Duchesne County Commissioners said they wanted a road from Duchesne county into the oil shale area via Ouray using the Seep Ridge alignment. Rees Madsen, representing White River Oil Shale Project, gave a report on the oil activity on federal leases U-a and U-b. He said good roads and commercial air service to Vernal were necessary in the carrying out of his company's business. Royal B. Henderson, Vernal motel owner stated he would be glad to see the Vernal Main Street project finished. Glade M. Sowards, state senator, stated the difficulty influencing urban legislators to help rural programs. He said it would be hard to get the money from the legislature to develop oil shale areas instead of using the funds for school purposes. |