The County Commission voted unanimously Tuesday to commit $500,000 in restaurant taxes toward installing the $4 million radar system. The county's payments will be made over three years, based on the Federal Aviation Administration's schedule for getting the system operational by the end of 2010.

Commission Chairman Gary Anderson said the radar is vital to Utah County's economic growth.

"Our intent is that [the airport] become a regional airport," Anderson said. "With the companies that we want in the county, we need that radar."

Utah County now sits in a "radar shadow," where air-traffic controllers in Salt Lake City cannot see any aircraft in Utah County flying below 9,000 feet. The lack of radar means planes must wait for a 20-mile gap in air traffic before taking off from the Provo facility, and its air-traffic controllers have to make visual contact with all approaching the aircraft.

The FAA approved Provo's request for a radar system in late 2007, with the condition that local authorities had to raise $2 million for the construction. Provo is providing $500,000 and the state is paying $1 million.

dmeyers@sltrib.com