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Transportation Watch

See Transportation Watch, below, featuring

an essay on Utah’s transportation future and who is supporting a rapid buildout of Utah’s transportation infrastructure. Also featured are links to the week’s transportation news stories. We welcome your ideas, comments and criticism at daily@utahpolicy.com.

Accommodating BlackBerrys

To make Utah Policy Daily more BlackBerry friendly, as requested by numerous state legislators, we have posted a text-only version of the newsletter on the Web site. The e-mail notification that announces the posting of UPD each day will include two links, one to the regular HTML version and one to the text-only version. It is far more pleasant to read the HTML version of UPD on-line at www.utahpolicy.com, but the text-only version will accommodate those who use hand-held devices for e-mail and Web surfing.

Feature Story

Big Choice Faces Utah Leaders

By LaVarr Webb

            One of the biggest issues facing Utah leaders over the next few years is whether to find additional funding to accelerate the buildout of crucial transportation projects, or whether to continue the current pace of transportation funding and complete the projects over 25 or 30 years.

            Widespread support exists for an accelerated program that would complete numerous projects in 10 years instead of 25 or 30. And it isn’t just local governments and transportation agencies that are leading the charge for an accelerated buildout. A broad coalition of businesses and business associations, led by the Salt Lake Chamber and representing thousands of members and employees, is lending its clout to push for faster infrastructure development.

            Besides the Chamber, the supportive groups include the Utah Manufacturers Association, Utah Trucking Association, Utah Petroleum Association, Utah Mining Association, Utah Farm Bureau, Utah Food Industry Association, Utah Retail Merchants Association, Utah Association of Realtors, Association of General Contractors, and the American Council of Engineering Companies, along with the Wasatch Front Regional Council, Mountainland Association of Governments, Utah League of Cities and Towns, Envision Utah, Utah Department of Transportation and Utah Transit Authority.

            The coalition of supporters has published a brochure called the Mobility Action Plan. It makes the case that Utah and particularly the Wasatch Front “faces a real and growing transportation crisis,” and that transportation needs are growing much faster than our present ability to meet them.

            We have two choices, the brochure states: We can “address transportation needs now and protect our economy and quality of life,” or, “delay action and face a future of increased traffic congestion, a stagnating economy, reduced business productivity, and a deteriorating quality of life.”

            Projects the group deemed critical include:

• Expand I-15 through Utah County
• Expand I-15 through Davis and Weber counties
• Build commuter rail from Weber County to Provo
• Build the West Valley and the Mid-Jordan light rail (TRAX) lines
• Build light rail extensions to Draper and the Salt Lake International Airport
• Complete the Legacy Parkway in Davis County
• Build the Mountain View Corridor highway and transit improvements in western Salt Lake County and northern Utah County
• Initiate Bus Rapid Transit in Utah, Davis and Weber counties
• Make critical east-west arterial and interchange improvements throughout the region
• Initiate the North Legacy Highway.

            The challenge for state leaders is the high cost of those projects, a total of some $7.9 billion. Existing revenue streams would provide only $2.3 billion, leaving a $5.6 billion gap. The transit portion of the total needed is $2.2 billion and highways, $5.7 billion.  

            The funding gap is enormous, and obviously not all the critical projects listed will be constructed on an accelerated schedule. The mass transit (TRAX and Bus Rapid Transit) projects would be built on a faster schedule only if citizens voted to tax themselves to pay the costs.

            An enormous amount of work has been done by both state and local leaders in identifying critical projects and identifying possible funding sources. The 2004 Transportation Planning Task Force, chaired by Rep. Rebecca Lockhart and Sen. Carlene Walker, did a masterful job of documenting ways to raise money for an accelerated buildout schedule. A great deal of consideration has also gone into creative solutions and innovative financing opportunities such as tolling and private transportation investment via public-private partnerships.

            The groundwork has been done and the foundation is in place so action can be taken. Support is strong at all levels of government and in the private sector. But the choices are very difficult. A booming economy and hundreds of millions of dollars in surplus tax revenue do improve the funding picture, but the state faces many competing needs, including a desire by many lawmakers for large tax cuts.

            The most crucial ingredient for success is leadership. Leadership in the executive branch. Leadership in the legislative branch. Leadership at local levels of government. Leadership in the business community. It will take crusading and courageous leadership to make the difficult choices and build critical transportation infrastructure before Utah’s transportation corridors deteriorate into gridlock.

On the Move

Links to Key Stories From the Past Week

- What is being done about deadly Highway 6? (KUTV).

- Utah Transit Authority backs $140M budget with optional 25-cent hike (Deseret Morning News; Falling fuel price may cancel fee hike at UTA (Salt Lake Tribune).

- Editorial: Widen all of deadly U.S. 6 (Morning News).

- Editorial: Why is U.S. 6 through Spanish Fork Canyon so dangerous? (Daily Herald).

- Rep. Greg Hughes to get aboard UTA board (Salt Lake Tribune).

- Rolly: SL City 'Chip seal' kicks up complaints (Tribune).

- Boulevard project picking up speed (St. George Spectrum).

- Utahns buckle up at rate above U.S. average (Salt Lake Tribune).

- Non-resident truckers' licenses raising eyebrows (Deseret Morning News)