When you look around the Salt Lake Valley, it's no secret that we're growing! The signs are everywhere: I-15 construction; new office complexes and residential areas; not to mention the booming economy. Well, what if you had a say in how Utah should handle the growth that's still to come? You're going to get that chance. Keith McCord will show us how.

When I came here 18-years ago, there wasn't a Delta Center--the Jazz played in the old Salt Palace arena. The Wyndham Hotel wasn't there. The One Utah Center wasn't there. American Stores building and even the building we work in, the Triad Center wasn't here. My how things have changed!

We dug out some old film from the 70's. The Beneficial Life Tower was still under construction; along with the ZCMI Mall. We've certainly come a long way!

And now, the concern is: where we're going. No doubt about it, the face of Utah is going to change dramatically in the years ahead.

Consider these numbers: In 20-years, Salt Lake's population is projected to hit 2.7-million--that's the same size as San Diego!

20-years from now, your average commute will take 10 minutes longer; and your average driving speed will go from 30 to 23 miles an hour.

We'll pay more for water--50 percent more!

Armed with these and other projections, a coalition of government leaders and growth planners launched a new plan to help the Wasatch Front move into the future.

Robert Grow/Envision Utah: "THE EFFORT IS TO SAY TO OURSELVES AND OTHER UTAHNS, WHAT WOULD WE LIKE TO BE LIKE IN THIS AREA? HOW WILL IT FEEL TO LIVE HERE? HOW DO WE PRESERVE THE QUALITY OF OUR LIFE?"

The planners will seek all kinds of input. For example, they'll show pictures of neighborhoods, and ask which do you like best; or what should a business district look like?

By offering options, planners hope we won't look at growth as a negative, but as something we can take part in.

Dee Allsop/Wirthlin Worldwide: "THIS FORCES PEOPLE TO CONFRONT THE REALITY THAT GROWTH IS GOING TO HAPPEN WHETHER OR NOT THEY LIKE IT. AND IT MAKES THEM BEGIN TO THINK WHAT KIND OF GROWTH THEY WOULD BE MOST COMFORTABLE WITH."

One more fun fact: To handle the population growth, we'll need to build 17-thousand homes every year to keep up!

As far as input goes, planners will start holding public meetings beginning next month. They'll hold a number of them during the next year, and by next summer, they hope to have a "blueprint" of where we're going--and more important: how to get there!