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Leavitt touts Centennial Highway Fund progress, urges 'Quality Growth Act of 1999' and public planning through Envision Utah
Summary
Governor Leavitt reported mid-course progress on I‑15 reconstruction and the Centennial Highway Fund and called on Utahns to participate in Envision Utah; he introduced the Quality Growth Act of 1999 to manage growth, preserve open space, and seek housing diversity across communities.
SALT LAKE CITY — Governor Michael O. Leavitt used his State of the State to press for managed growth, citing the Centennial Highway Fund and the Envision Utah public‑engagement effort as central tools to shape the state’s future.
Leavitt said the Centennial Highway Fund — described in the speech as a $3,800,000,000 investment — was delivering projects statewide, reporting the I‑15 reconstruction was at the halfway point and on schedule and on budget. He urged continued planning and expansion of the I‑15 corridor between Salt Lake City and Farmington and called for additional improvements statewide.
On land-use policy, Leavitt invited Utahns to participate in Envision Utah’s community exercise to map preferred development patterns through 2020 and introduced the Quality Growth Act of 1999, which he described as a policy to preserve open space, reject sprawl and encourage diverse housing types while keeping decisions primarily in the hands of local governments.
"Local control and central coordination must be our guiding principle," he said, urging local councils, county commissions and legislators to make informed choices.
The address framed the growth agenda as a balance between economic opportunity and stewardship of water and open space; Leavitt asked citizens to help define the future through participation in the Envision Utah program.
What’s next: The governor recommended continued legislative support for the Centennial Highway Fund and consideration of the Quality Growth Act; he encouraged public involvement in Envision Utah planning.
