UTA estimates the cost to build commuter rail from Salt Lake City to Provo will be $875 million, and the cost from Salt Lake City to Pleasant View will be $541 million.

The rail distance for both segments is approximately equal, about 44 miles in either direction, but the rail in Utah County will require the construction of more bridges than in the north part of Salt Lake County.

Rather than relying on obtaining federal funds, as UDOT is planning to do for its I-15 project, UTA's commuter rail project will be funded through Utah County's quarter-cent sales tax increase and Salt Lake County's Proposition 3, which were both approved by a two-thirds vote in November.

Those funds will allow UTA to begin its project sooner than UDOT.

"It saves us more time," Meyer said. "We don't have to do a federal transit review. ... We think that, when breaking this process down, we will cut that 14-month process (of receiving federal approval) down to an eight-month process."

Although the right-of-way corridor for commuter rail and I-15 could impact homes and wetlands in their intended paths, UDOT Region 3 spokesman Geoff Dupaix said he thinks Utah County residents will recognize the need for the improvements.

"It's not a question of 'if,' it's a question of 'When are you going to build it?"' Dupaix said. "We need those improvements now. ... If I-15 shuts down, it will ruin the economy of the state."

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E-mail: achoate@desnews.com