Part of the progress made was SB25, which charges UDOT with establishing a system to prioritize highway projects. The bill requires UDOT to create the system using public input, and consult area transportation planning organizations like Mountainland as they prioritize new projects.

"They're the experts out there," Dougall said. "We wanted them to those rank projects that have the greatest need in the state, and put the limited dollars on those projects. For two reasons: one, because we think it's good public policy, and two, it allows us to go back and explain why a project wasn't done."

Looking forward, Utah County leaders will have to determine if there is a need for a transportation tax to be placed on the ballot.

"We and the county commissioners ought to be thinking about this," said Orem Mayor Jerry Washburn. "The commission was going to put it on the ballot last fall, but they kind were talked out of it by legislators and such in view of waiting to see what happens in the Legislaturelegislature and seeing what happens in terms of transportation funding and such. We need to be careful and encourage that before they consider that again, we know what the implications of that would be."

Billings said Utah County must be committed to getting needed funding.

"We almost won the prize, but it's on the other side of the glass," he said. "We've go to break the glass and get it out, and I'm concerned that if we don't, we'll have another downturn of the economy, the money will be committed and gone, and we will be two or three more years into this congested blight that we're experiencing in Utah County."

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E-mail: mdecker@desnews.com