Utah communities would receive federal funds for highway expansions, improvements to access roads and a new station for the TRAX light rail line. There is also money for two "streetscape" projects in Brigham City and Santa Clara and a pedestrian and bike trail in Salt Lake City.
"I've met with city officials and constituents throughout Utah who told me these important investments in infrastructure will spur the local economy," said Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, a member of the House Transportation Committee.
Late changes, made to the bill on the House floor, added $21 million in Utah projects to the bill that had been approved by the committee.
The House backed the bill 417-9, sending it to the Senate. The last transportation bill expired in 2003, but the House and Senate could not agree on a formula to divide up the highway funds sent to the states. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is scheduled to take up a transportation bill next week. Chairman James Inhofe, R-Okla., has called $284 billion ''totally inadequate'' and vowed to exceed it.
President Bush has threatened to veto the bill if its price tag exceeds $284 billion. The White House on Wednesday also threatened to veto the measure if it includes a current provision that would allow Congress to reconsider state funding allocations before the legislation expires in 2009.
The legislation essentially lays out a blueprint for transportation spending and authorizes funding for the projects, but the actual money relies on appropriation bills passed by Congress each year.
Matheson's district received the bulk of the money earmarked for Utah projects, $57 million in all. The projects include the addition of three lanes to the Red Hills Parkway in St. George, construction on 1300 East in Sandy to ease gridlock and a new TRAX station at 9400 South.
The bill also makes Highway 6, a treacherous road through Spanish Fork Canyon, eligible for additional funding under High Priority Corridor designation.
Rep. Rob Bishop secured funding for a Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge access road and a streetscape project for a major road through downtown Brigham City, among other projects. And Rep. Chris Cannon earmarked money to widen Geneva Road in Orem and an Interstate 15 interchange in Springville.
"One of the most pressing needs facing Utah County was its transportation infrastructure, and this bill moves us in the right direction to address some of those needs," Cannon said.
But tax watchdog groups criticized the bill's number of special projects, or "earmarks," 4,128 in all, totaling $12.4 billion.
Keith Ashdown, vice president of policy at Taxpayers for Common Sense, said the bill "is leading us down the road to fiscal ruin."
"It contains thousands of earmarks requested by virtually every lawmaker in Congress, many of which do very little to alleviate congestion or assist in rebuilding the nation's crumbling road infrastructure," he said. "Instead of tightening their fiscal belt, Congress has instead decided to fund horse trails, museums, interpretive centers and water taxis."
House Transportation Chairman Don Young's home state of Alaska is one of the big winners in the House bill, scooping up scores of special projects, including $125 million for planning, design and construction of a bridge linking Gravina Island and the community of Ketchikan; $25 million for Port of Anchorage improvements; and $10 million for ''congestion relief'' in Anchorage.
Santa Clara City Manager Matthew Brower said a $1.25 million streetscape project in that city is not frivolous spending. On occasion, when Interstate 15 is shut down, traffic is diverted along Highway 91, through the center of town.
"This is a very significant project for economic development and maintaining a very important highway segment," Brower said.
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The Washington Post wire service contributed to this report.
