Legislative leaders and Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. staged a news conference Friday afternoon to announce a bill that would provide $3.5 million toward a $45 million project that could bring the elimination of freight trains off 900 South. While the state funding wouldn't be much, the rest of the money for the project apparently has been found.
To remove freight trains from 900 South, a separate line downtown near The Gateway must be realigned. That line is called Grant Tower, a curve that slows down the 900 South trains. Once it's straightened, the 900 South line won't be necessary.
The bill - it's unclear who is sponsoring it - will steer $3.5 million in sales tax collected in Salt Lake County for transportation projects toward Grant Tower, according to a news release. The County Council will have to agree to the diversion, which is expected since Republican County Councilman Cort Ashton will be at the news conference.
Union Pacific will kick in money, along with Utah Transit Authority and the federal government. Salt Lake City also is expected to contribute, possibly in the $12 million range.
Last fall, it appeared the state wouldn't be a partner. Huntsman said he opposed contributing state money, saying it was a "city issue." Plus, the GOP governor said he had done his part by persuading Union Pacific to give more money to the cause.
But on Friday, Huntsman attended the announcement along with Sen. President John Valentine, R-Orem; House Speaker Greg Curtis, R-Sandy; and House Minority Leader Ralph Becker, D-Salt Lake City. Former state Sen. James Evans - who once represented the west-side neighborhoods affected by the trains but was defeated in his re-election bid - also will be there.
"I've spent a whole lot of political capital on this," said Evans, who is now chairman of the Salt Lake County Republican Party. "If it wasn't seen as my issue, I'm not so sure the state would be there." Evans may try to take back his Senate seat from Democrat Fred Fife, who was not invited to Friday's news conference.
Another figure notably absent from the conference was Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson, who is Washington, D.C., attending a U.S. Conference of Mayors gathering.
Anderson issued a statement saying eliminating the trains has been a "top priority of our administration ever since the 900 South line was re-activated in late 2001, and my staff and I have spent countless hours working with Union Pacific toward making this project a reality." The mayor said he was grateful to Curtis and Becker for their work.
Behind the scenes, those working on negotiations with lawmakers have said Anderson couldn't be involved or the bill would be doomed.
"The mayor certainly could not help the process," Evans said. Evans and the mayor are longstanding political enemies.
Anderson worked out an agreement with Union Pacific that if money was raised for Grant Tower by September 2007, the railroad company would remove trains from 900 South.
City Councilman Dave Buhler, who attended the announcement, said the bill is a "very positive step forward. There's still negotiations between the administration and Union Pacific. I'm optimistic they will be successful."
