Voters Tuesday overwhelming approved a quarter-cent sales-tax increase to get a route with a stop in each city.

With roughly half of Eagle Mountain residents commuting about 40 miles north to the Salt Lake City area, few folks questioned the bus-route proposal, said Mayor Heather Jackson.

"Everybody, since the second we announced it, [have] been very supportive and positive about it," she said.

Officials in both cities had said they hope the express-bus route alleviates traffic congestion caused by construction within the rapidly growing northern Utah County community.

"I hope it will help our local commuters . . . get to work every day," said Saratoga Springs City Manager Ken Leetham. He also said the route is the beginning of other UTA partnerships in the future as the city grows.

Each city will have a park-and-ride lot and express-bus routes - two in the morning to downtown Salt Lake City and two returning in the evening.

Bus fare will be $5 each way, according to the UTA Web site.

As for Eagle Mountain, Jackson said roughly the other half of the city's residents now want an express-bus route to the Provo-Orem area. She said she plans to set up a meeting with UTA officials about the idea.

jsanchez@sltrib.com