"One of the disappointments that we have in the state of Utah is that we continue to underestimate our growth," said Lane Beattie, president of the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce.

"We cannot wait until 2030" to construct new transportation systems. "It will cripple economics in the state."

Speaking on Wednesday to members of the Legislative Transportation Interim Committee, Beattie was adamant that lawmakers, transit and transportation officials work together to prevent a future congestion crunch in Utah.

The population along the Wasatch Front is expected to grow by an additional 1 million people by 2030, and development of transit systems and corridors is critical, according to John Inglish, general manager of the Utah Transit Authority.

Plans from UTA call for extension of light rail into South and West Jordan, development of a bus rapid-transit system and construction of a commuter rail from Salt Lake City to Ogden.

Plans from the Utah Department of Transportation include construction of the Legacy Highway and expansion of other highways, roads and bridges.

These plans must be pushed forward at least 10 or 20 years - and lawmakers must be willing to allocate funds for development, Beattie urged.

"If we're going to rely on 2030, a lot of you better look at relocating," he said.

Rep. Marda Dillree, R-Farmington, agreed, asking transit and transportation officials to communicate with new legislators about the need for tax increases to fund development of a unified, statewide transportation system.

"There are going to have to be [tax] increases in some areas to address this issue," Dillree said.

"It's not like economic development where if we build it, they'll come. If we don't build it, they'll leave."

nwarburton@sltrib.com