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Transportation Watch

The UDOT Mountain View Corridor team is considering both tolling options and non-tolling options to finance construction of the new highway in the far western section of Salt Lake County. Without tolling, the highway will likely not be built for many years. Town hall meetings are scheduled beginning this month to discuss all aspects of the highway with the public. See feature story and schedule below.

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News Highlights Bob Bernick Jr.: "As the Utah Republican Party's state convention convenes this coming Saturday, party leaders and some grass-roots delegates are once again in a serious internal struggle over who ultimately controls the majority party in this state" (Deseret Morning News). Sen. Orrin Hatch presses the Pentagon to provide assurances that the upcoming "Divine Strake" weapons test at the Nevada Test Site will not spread contamination from Cold War nuclear tests (Salt Lake Tribune and Morning News). Morning News editorial says Utah County needs to quickly decide what it wants to do with mass transit, and then proceed “with a sense of real commitment.” Salt Lake City Council may “sledgehammer” mayor’s budget recommendations (Tribune). Lots of Jordan District teachers are retiring (Tribune).

Quote of the Day "A wink and a nod really does lack transparency. Whether the wink and the nod was real or not, we understood it." -- Salt Lake County Council member Jim Bradley, during debate on whether county leaders had an informal, unspoken agreement with legislative leaders to use hotel taxes to help build the Real Salt Lake soccer stadium (Morning News).

Wednesday Buzz Written by LaVarr Webb & Associates
Magazine Sponsors Campaign School Campaigns & Elections magazine is sponsoring a campaign training seminar, “The Art of Political Campaigning,” June 1-3 in Washington, D.C. For the agenda and registration information, click here. The conference breakout groups will cover dozens of campaign topics, such as polling, crisis management, direct mail, grassroots organizing, dealing with the news media, debates and public speaking, how to get bloggers on your side, fundraising, targeting voters, and so forth. Cost of the conference is $475. Blog Watch Utahnia explains why "Utah Democrats are destined to obscurity" (see also here and here)... Media Relations links to this Time Magazine article about Washington politicians' complicated relationship with the blogosphere... Sixteen Small Stones foresees an "upcoming train wreck between religious liberty and same-sex marriage"... Three Rounds Brisk says: "As of this moment, I see no good reason to return [Rep. Chris] Cannon, and by extension the majority of Republican multi-term incumbents, to Washington" (see also here). -- Compiled by Golden Webb Washington Watch Hatch: Fix Medical Liability System Sen. Orrin Hatch tells the U.S. Senate that unless Congress acts quickly to fix "a medical liability system run amok," medical costs will continue to rise, forcing doctors -- especially OB/GYNs -- to leave practice (see press release); Hatch says the Democrats' filibusters of Pres. Bush's judicial nominees must end (The Hill).

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Wednesday
May 10, 2006

Utah in the National News

Conservative columnist says Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney's new health care law "is a sham" (Human Events ).

The "Divine Strake" bomb test, originally scheduled for June 2 at the Nevada Test Site, will be postponed at least three weeks while a federal court reviews plans for the blast (Associated Press).

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Local Headlines

Deseret Morning News

- GOP officials battle over control of party

- Test-blast battle not over yet

- Infant-health setback

- Hispanics fueling U.S. growth

- Fox to visit Utah soon

- BYU to review 'die-in'

- S.L. County recorder is cleared by audit

- Stadium is tax priority, county promises

- UHP to investigate mayor

- Applications sought for open-space funds

- AOL cuts 125 Ogden jobs

- Jobless rate, index decline

- Editorial: Utah County discovers transit

Standard-Examiner

- Hitting national lists

St. George Spectrum

- Bomb test may be delayed

Logan Herald Journal

- South Cache teacher wins Huntsman Award

Daily Herald

- Petition requests district division

- County jail expansion approved

- Search for new district judge begins

- Editorial: Be careful in the canyon

KCPW

- Heart-wrenching ads promote "safe haven" law

- Glitch worries Utah elections officials

- Ohio election offers insight for Utah

- ReAL Salt Lake says they need public financing

- Utah Latinos headed to D.C. for march

Tooele Transcript Bulletin

- BLM swamped with comments on N-waste

- Editorial: Benefits outweigh noise

Salt Lake Tribune

- Hatch wants pledge blast will be safe

- Councilwoman tried to undo Kanab vote

- Jordan teachers' exodus a big worry

- Rolly: Hunting with Cheney canceled

- Mayor's $4.6 million property-tax hike a shocker

- Mayor wants $20,000 for portrait of himself

- Mexico's President Fox firms up agenda for visit to Utah

- Utah quarter to feature Golden Spike

- For young moms, a lifesaving option

- 1,750 schools face serious penalties

- Federal government OKs Utah method for school testing

- RDA: Project could redirect taxes for RSL and medical company

- Funds sought for Western counties

- Utahn nominated for D.C. education post

- Summit Democratic leader faces 5 charges

- Legislative committee to enforce SB56

- Buffett buyout means lower rate increase for Utah Power

- Incentives that were offered to West Liberty may still be an option, recruiting office says

- Editorial: Grilling a spy: Senate must not rubber-stamp Hayden

Political Calendar

Please submit calendar items to Daily@UtahPolicy.com

- May 10: John Jacob Delegate Breakfast, 7:30 a.m., IHOP, 925 W State Road, American Fork.
- May 10: Midday Metro on KCPW 88.3 FM at 10 a.m.: soccer, transportation and electronic voting with Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon; a new master downtown transportation plan with development consultant Alice Steiner and Salt Lake City Transportation Director Tim Harpst; plus community options in the War on Drugs with Deborah Small of Break the Chains and Luciano Colonna of the Harm Reduction Project SLC.
- May 10: John Jacob Delegate Luncheon, 12 p.m., Sizzler, 1477 W 7800 S, West Jordan.
- May 10: Pete Ashdown to speak at the Heber City Rotary Club, 12 p.m., Hub Cafe 1165 South Main, Heber City.
- May 10: Merrill Cook State Delegate Luncheon, 12 p.m., Sizzler, 3429 S Redwood Rd, West Valley.
- May 10: Merrill Cook State Delegate Dinner, 7 p.m., Carrabba's, University Mall, Orem.
- May 11: John Jacob Delegate Breakfast, 7:30 a.m., Mimi's Café, 304 E University Parkway, Orem.
- May 11: Privately Owned Health Care Organization Task Force meeting, 9 a.m., room W135.
- May 11: John Jacob Delegate Luncheon, 12 p.m., Marie Callender's, 2882 W 4700 S, West Valley City.
- May 11: Merrill Cook State Delegate Luncheon, 12 p.m., Brick Oven, 111 E 800 N, Provo.
- May 11: Gov. Huntsman to give welcoming remarks at Urban Land Institute National Conference, 4 p.m., Salt Palace Convention Center, 100 S. West Temple, Salt Lake City.

- See the entire calendar

Elected Officials Birthday List

Feature Story

Transportation Funding Deficit and the Mountain View Corridor

By Dave Smith

Teri Newell, UDOT Mountain View Corridor project manager, made a presentation to the Transportation Committee of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce on Monday this week. Her presentation included information on how Utah’s $16.5 billion roadway funding shortfall directly relates to the future of a number of transportation projects, including the proposed Mountain View Corridor in west Salt Lake County and northwest Utah County.

Utah’s population is increasing, as is the demand for transportation infrastructure, while the funding sources available to pay for maintenance and improvements cannot keep up. This discrepancy between demand and available funding requires state, local and transportation officials to take a close look at all ways to pay for new roads.

Choosing a single, current method for funding transportation projects would require significant increases in some form of taxes or fees, according to UDOT. For example, the statewide gas tax would have to be increased by $0.50 per gallon to meet the funding shortfall. It is unlikely that one funding tool on its own will solve the problem. The ultimate solution will more likely be a combination of many tools.

In 2005, the Utah Legislature passed a resolution recognizing the concept of “Managed Lanes” as an effective way to maximize roadway capacity and provide new revenue sources, and urged UDOT to study and make recommendations on managed lanes use and implementation. Carpool lanes, reversible lanes, HOT (High Occupancy Toll) lanes and tolling, a relatively new financing idea in Utah, are managed lanes concepts. Various corridors statewide have been identified with managed lanes potential, including the Mountain View Corridor.

No decisions have yet been made for the Mountain View Corridor, according to Newell. The Mountain View Corridor team is studying both tolled and non-tolled alternatives in the ongoing Environmental Impact Statement study in order to fully understand the impacts of both. The team will disclose the impacts of all alternatives to allow for a fair comparison.

UDOT is encouraging public discussion to take place on the Mountain View Corridor. In an effort to get information to the public regarding transportation funding issues, including tolling, education efforts will include local town hall meetings beginning this month. An update on the Mountain View Corridor Environmental Impact Statement study will also be available, and project team members will be on hand to answer questions.

Those interested in learning more about the project and upcoming meetings should check regularly on the project website here.

Town hall meetings already scheduled include the following:

South Jordan, Wednesday, May 17, 6 p.m., City Council Chambers (1600 West Towne Center Drive)
Saratoga Springs, Friday, May 19, 7 p.m., Saratoga Shores Elementary (1415 South Parkside Drive)

Bluffdale, Wednesday, May 24, 6 p.m., Fire Station (14350 South 2200 West)
West Jordan, Thursday, June 8, 6 p.m., City Hall (8000 South Redwood Road)
Lindon, Thursday, June 22, 7 p.m., City Hall (100 North State – Council Chambers)
Pleasant Grove, Wednesday, June 28, 6:30 p.m., City Hall (86 East 100 South – Council Chambers)
Eagle Mountain, Thursday, June 29, 7 p.m. City Hall (1650 East Stagecoach Run)
Riverton, Wednesday, July 12, 6:30 p.m., City Hall (12830 South Redwood Road – Council Chambers)

On the Move

Links to the Week's Key Transportation News Stories

-- Editorial: The transportation debate (KSL).

-- Cedar City awards Mesa lease for terminal (St. George Spectrum).

-- Utah County might run non-UTA buses (Deseret Morning News).

-- Editorial: Making HOV lanes workable (Daily Herald).

-- Swan song for SkyWest and Cedar City (St. George Spectrum).

-- Utahns cool to HOT lanes (Deseret Morning News).

-- Clearfield panel backs downtown site for light rail station (Davis County Clipper).

-- Fruit Heights: Struggling with funding and a future Park & Ride (Clipper).

-- County Commission irked by reduced speed limit (Park Record).

-- Mesa begins air service to Cedar City (St. George Spectrum and Associated Press).

-- New UDOT spokesman is familiar (Salt Lake Tribune).

-- New road ideas needed (Deseret Morning News).

-- Poll: Most disapprove of an HOV lane fee (Associated Press).

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Utah Transportation Watch is a service of Utah Policy.com