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Show Feelings astied on U.S. -CO widening NAPLES Property owners along the west side of U.S. 40 here received a hand-delivered questionnaire to indicate their feelings on a controversial plan to secure right-of-way for a widened highway. Mayor Lawrence Kay said he hoped the effort would help Uintah County decide whether to modify the widening project, which would start where the four-lane route narrows to two lanes near 1000 East, and continue for about 3V2 miles. The county commission two weeks ago approached Naples about widening the route to four lanes with a turning lane and two parking lanes. But 10 more feet of right-of-way was needed. So the city council last week approached property owners about giving up 10 feet in exchange for free curb and gutter. The county commission plans on a $3 million loan from the State Community Development Impact Board to build the road, rather than having to wait for the Utah Department of Transportation to do the project. Kay told concerned property owners last week that a decision to proceed with the project had to be made by Aug. 6 or the Utah DOT would proceed with a resurfacing project from Vernal to Jensen. Alternatives to the original proposal include leaving out the turn lane or the parking lanes, or taking five feet of right-of-way from both sides instead of 10 feet from one side. The latter choice would mean moving the center line of the highway, which would increase the cost of the project past $3 million. But property owners at last week's council meeting said money would have to be spent as compensation for 10 feet of right-of-way. |