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The federal government gave the Utah Transit Authority an unexpected, post-Christmas gift on Monday: $37.2 million in earlier-than-expected money to help pay for TRAX light rail and FrontRunner commuter rail projects.

It included $20.6 million for the under-construction Mid-Jordan TRAX line, which will run from the 6400 South (Fashion Place) station on the Sandy TRAX line to Daybreak in South Jordan. It also includes $16.5 million for the completed FrontRunner line from Salt Lake City to Ogden.

The money was expected eventually to help repay the projects' construction costs, but was given earlier than scheduled from leftover funds in the Federal Transit Administration's 2010 budget.

"We're excited. This was unexpected," said UTA spokesman Gerry Carpenter. "This will really help us with our cash flow. That has been one of the challenges during the recession, to keep projects moving," with sales taxes that make up much of UTA's budget down.

"This payment ahead of schedule will bring us a savings in financing costs, and will keep other projects moving forward," including projects to extend TRAX to Draper, Salt Lake City International Airport and West Valley City, and an extension of FrontRunner to Provo, Carpenter said. "It is a healthy assist to us during an economic challenging time."

The FTA gave a total of $182.4 million in such leftover money on Monday to seven ongoing projects in Utah, New York City, Dallas, Seattle and northern Virginia.

"We want to keep the projects moving and people working with these early investments, which will save these cities money over the long haul," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood as he announced the grants. LaHood visited Utah in October, and toured some UTA projects then.

FTA Administrator Peter Rogoff said the early grants will "free up local funds that can now be used for other transit projects." He added, "These advances will also result in the saving of financing costs that local sponsors would have otherwise incurred."

The Mid-Jordan TRAX line is scheduled to open in August, as is the new West Valley City line to Valley Fair Mall.