Cook, executive director of Mountainland Association of Governments, said if the dedicated bus system linking Utah Valley University, Brigham Young University and Provo's East Bay works as expected, the system could, in time, be replaced by a light-rail system À la TRAX.

"It's right on the bubble now," Cook said, based on future ridership estimates.

The BRT is part of the overall plan for relieving congestion on Utah County's road system and making it easier to cope with the eventual reconstruction of Interstate 15. The project is timed to coincide with the extension of FrontÂRunner to Utah County, where it will connect with transportation stations in Orem and Provo.

Special buses will pull up at BRT stations in the median of streets and provide quicker service with fewer stops than traditional buses.

The Utah Transit Authority recently launched BRT service along 3300-3500 South from South Salt Lake to Magna, with a goal of getting west-side residents to a TRAX station at 3300 South, according to UTA spokesman Chad Saley.

Gary McGinn, Provo's community-development director, sees how BRT could be a precursor to light rail, but he sees it as more of a way to promote better mass transit.

"What I see with BRT is the future backbone to spokes or ribs to get buses out to other parts of the city," McGinn said.

The city recently recommended routing BRT down 100 West rather than University Avenue. McGinn said this move preserves parking and traffic flow on University Avenue, because BRT's priority-traffic signals could disrupt efforts to synchronize the lights with automobile traffic.

In Orem, the city is considering a recommendation to keep BRT on University Parkway. Councilwoman Shiree Thurston said it is a possibility that the system could eventually become a light-rail system in the future.

dmeyers@sltrib.com