In a move seen by some as election-year politicking, State Sen. James Evans, R-Salt Lake, is claiming a deal brokered by Salt Lake Mayor Rocky Anderson's office last year won't get Union Pacific trains off 900 South.

Anderson's deal, announced three days before the mayor was re-elected last year, calls for Union Pacific to vacate its contentious 900 South rail line through the Poplar Grove area. The deal is contingent on the city securing $35.5 million in federal funds for the $40 million reconfiguration of Grant Tower, a sharp curve in Salt Lake rail lines that causes train congestion and makes Union Pacific use 900 South as an auxiliary.

Last week, Evans called newspaper reporters to his campaign office, insisting that those federal funds aren't coming because the project isn't seen as a priority by state officials. In turn, Utah's congressional delegation hasn't considered the 900 South issue a priority because it often gains its priorities from state leaders, Evans said.

Sen. Bob Bennett's office confirmed that assertion.

"Based on the lack of support from the state, we don't hold out much hope this will get funded this year," Bennett spokeswoman MaryJane Collipriest said.

Evans is locked in a tough re-election campaign with challenger Fred Fife, and Democratic leaders are targeting District 1 as a place where they can gain ground on Utah's GOP majority.

Facing the political challenge, Evans told reporters it's time Salt Lake leaders quit acting like Anderson's agreement is really going to happen. Instead, Evans said, the city needs to reopen its agreement with Union Pacific and persuade the state to become a partner in the agreement.

"What we need to be clear about is that what we have will not work," Evans said. "This project has to become a higher priority for the state as a whole."

Evans criticized the mayor's office for urging citizens to write letters to Utah's congressional delegation in support of Grant Tower funding. The letter-writing campaign makes it seem like the deal is more feasible than it really is, Evans said.

"Do we continue to pretend that it is coming and continue to communicate that to the Poplar Grove and Glendale communities?" he said.

D.J. Baxter, senior adviser to Anderson, said he would welcome state support. That support was lacking from former Gov. Mike Leavitt, but whoever the next governor of Utah is, Baxter said he will seek his support. Baxter added that Evans, as a member of the Senate, was in the best position to secure state backing.

Also, Baxter noted, such support could come without reopening the city's agreement with Union Pacific. Instead, some simple phone calls or lobbying from state leaders would be enough for Utah's congressional delegation to get the picture. And the more lobbying the better, Baxter said, defending the effort to persuade some 3,500 area residents to write to Utah's Senate and House leaders in support of the deal.