The outcome of several funding formula deals and project price tags now in negotiations could threaten chances of Senate concurrence. But the House appears poised to pass a $284 billion, six-year surface transportation reauthorization that will meet with White House approval after two years of stalemate.
"There is a lot of momentum because this is the number President Bush has indicated he will accept and everyone knows we have to get this done," said Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, a member of the House Transportation Committee that last week cleared the bill for the full House.
Matheson said projects earmarked by members are still in flux and may change, but the version of the bill cleared by the panel includes 23 Utah road improvements receiving $68 million in discretionary funds, with Matheson having a say over most of the Utah pot.
"I've been very careful to find out what the right priorities are, and I reject completely any claim that this is pork-barrel spending," he said Monday. "Investment in transportation infrastructure is a responsible use of taxpayer money, and this is a good bill for Utah."
The projects requested by Matheson and Republican Reps. Rob Bishop and Chris Cannon stretch up and down the state, from $2 million to improve Forest Street in Brigham City in northern Utah to $175,000 to add lighting on U.S. Highway 262 in Aneth in the southeastern corner of the state.
The priciest project is a $7.5 million widening of Geneva Road and Center Street in Provo and 1600 North in Orem from two lanes to four, followed by $6.3 million to rehabilitate 1300 East in Sandy and $6 million to expand Redhills Parkway in St. George from two to five lanes.
Other Utah projects in the bill have no price tags attached while Republican leadership works out an agreement on a funding formula intended to boost the minimum return states receive on the taxes they pay into the Highway Trust Fund.
Those Utah projects include a five-year commitment for final design and construction of a Bus Rapid Transit system in Provo and Orem, and putting several extensions to Salt Lake City's light-rail TRAX system on a list for five-year funding authorization for preliminary engineering work. The TRAX extensions include the University of Utah to Salt Lake International Airport, the Delta Center to Gateway, Sandy to Draper, and expanding service into West Valley City and West Jordan.
The bill also authorizes funding an analysis on improving capacity on the TRAX line and completes the existing full-funding grant agreement with UTA to pay $38 million for the now-finished TRAX extension to the University of Utah Medical Center.
What's in line for funding under the bill
CITY/CO. PROJECT DESCRIPTION AMOUNT
Provo Geneva Rd.-Center St., Orem 1600 N. to I-15, widen I-15 $7,500,000
Sandy Construction and rehabilitation of 1300 East $6,300,000
Midvale Build Bingham Junction Boulevard $5,000,000
St. George Expand Redhills Parkway from 2 to 5 lanes, alignment $6,000,000
Lehi Widen state Route 92 from Lehi to Highland $5,000,000
Salt Lake Construct Parleys Creek Trail $5,000,000
Emery Reconstruct South Monroe Cut-off Road $4,500,000
Utah I-15 reconstruction-Springville 200 South interchange $4,500,000
Box Elder Bear River Migratory Refuge road improvements $4,000,000
Kaysville Build 200 North St. highway-rail crossing separation $4,000,000
St. George Two-lane road from Atkinville to airport road access $4,000,000
Washington Bridge lane capacity over Virgin River on Fields Road $3,000,000
Brigham City Forest Street improvements $2,000,000
Weber State Route 158 improvements, Pine View Dam $1,100,000
Provo Reservoir Canal Trail $1,000,000
Tooele Construction of midvalley highway $1,000,000
Nibley 3200 South project $1,000,000
Provo Westside connector from I-15 to the Provo airport $1,000,000
Logan 200 East minor arterial $900,000
Santa Clara Two-lane road, turning lanes along Santa Clara Drive $500,000
San Juan Pedestrian safety on Navajo land in Montezuma Creek $325,000
Halchita Add lighting to Mexican Hat on Navajo Mountain $200,000
Aneth Add lighting on U.S. Highway 262 on Navajo Nation $175,000
