At the recent public hearing on the proposed Utah Lake Bridge, Dave Grierson of the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands (FFSL) told the public, “We want to be transparent, thorough, and open,” but Leon Harward of Utah Crossing Inc., the private corporation that wants to build the bridge, is doing everything he can to ensure that is not the case.
When we asked to confirm whether he or his associates with Utah Crossing Inc. personally or professionally own large amounts of land for development near either end of the proposed bridge, as
The Daily Herald reported, Harward defiantly responded, “Utah Crossing does not own any land other than where the bridge would land.” When pressed to actually answer the question that was asked, Harward refused any further comment on the topic.
But he told
The Crossroads Journal, “It is none of their business,” adding that if everyone knew what he knows, they would all want the bridge built. So let us get this straight: it’s none of our business why we would want the bridge built? It makes no sense – unless, of course, there is something to hide.
Later during the meeting, we confronted Mr. Harward over information from the Utah Crossing website that says drivers would be able to save 30 to 35 miles by using the proposed bridge instead of going around the lake, when in fact the actual difference is only 15.3 miles according to Google Maps. When pressed to explain why he inflated the numbers to exaggerate the benefit of the proposed bridge, Mr. Harward abruptly called the meeting to an end.
But the meeting was not his to end, and meeting organizers, the Utah Lake Commission and FFSL, did nothing to object, leading some to wonder who is really in charge. It is up to FFSL, now, to assure us that they are serious about being “transparent, thorough, and open” by requiring Mr. Harward to be equally as transparent and open about his project.
Mr. Harward says his longtime dream has been to build a true east-west corridor through Utah County – but to what end? He tries to sell the bridge as a benefit to commuters, but inflates the numbers and misrepresents the facts. Why does he tell us his true motivation for building the bridge is “non of [our] business?”
Because that’s exactly what it is:
his business. Some have speculated that Utah Crossing Inc.’s directors and their associates possess development interests that would more than offset any losses that might arise should the bridge corporation fail after failing to meet its projected revenues, leaving taxpayers to cover the operating costs. If they are correct, Mr. Harward and his cohorts would end up using
your hard-earned money to make hundreds of millions of dollars on their real-estate development endeavors.
They could be working the system at your expense.
It certainly sounds plausible, and the only people who can put this issue to rest are Mr. Harward and his associates. Is it too much to ask that they declare to State and local officials, under penalty of perjury, any and all personal and/or professional interests in lands within 25 miles of the bridge landings? How hard could that be? Is it too stringent a requirement that they guarantee funding for bridge construction and operations through the next 50 years to ensure taxpayers won’t be left holding the bill?
These are very real questions facing us, our families, and our communities that need to be answered before the bridge can be allowed to continue. And until we the people are satisfied, we urge the Utah Division of Forestry, Fire and State Lands to deny Utah Crossing Inc.'s request to build their bridge across Utah Lake.
