Transportation measure will aid state, Matheson says

WASHINGTON — Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, says he included authorization for $45 million worth of Utah highway projects in a once-every-six-years transportation bill passed late Wednesday by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

Matheson said the bill also includes permission for such mass transit projects as the future Airport TRAX Line, the West Jordan Light Rail Extension and a new commuter rail from Provo to Ogden. It also permits $8.7 million to complete payments for the Medical Center light rail extension, and $1.2 million for the university light rail line.

"I spent a lot of time over the last three years meeting with folks in order to be the best advocate I could on this important bill," said Matheson, who is the only Utahn on a transportation committee. "I will continue to fight for these priorities as the process moves forward in Congress."

He said that specific Utah authorizations in the bill include:

• $6.3 million to reduce congestion and improve safety on 13th East in Sandy.

• $2 million for a Sandy Intermodal Hub, a TRAX station at 94th South and Second East.

• $4 million for the Atkinville Interchange at mile marker 2 on I -15.

• $4 million for the "Southern Corridor" access road to the new airport in St. George.

• $6 million for the Red Hills Parkway in St. George.

• $2.8 million for a bridge over the Virgin River in Washington City.

• $5 million for the intersection of Cottonwood and Winchester roads in Murray.

• $1 million to pave the Navajo Mountain Road to the Navajo Mountain School.

• $5.5 million for Utah Highway 92 in Utah County between I-15 and Canyon Road.

• $400,000 for improvement to Moab's Main Street.

• $3 million for US-6 safety improvements between I-15 and I-70.

• $5 million for the PRATT trail, connecting the Jordan River and Bonneville Shoreline trails in Salt Lake County.

The transportation bill would merely authorize spending for up to those amounts over the next six years. Projects must still fight in annual appropriations battles for actual money. It is a two-step process.

The committee Wednesday approved a slimmed-down $275 billion version of the transportation bill — which was about $100 billion less than Chairman Don Young, R-Alaska, sought, but $19 million more than the White House wanted. The Bush administration has threatened to veto anything over $256 million.

Meanwhile, the Senate passed a $318 billion version of the bill last month. The full House is expected to consider the bill as early as next week. After it acts, both houses are expected to appoint negotiators to try to work out differences in their bills for final approval.

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