Utah Valley leaders seek I-15 funding

PROVO — Following a less-than-stellar legislative session for Utah County transportation funding, Utah Valley government leaders are regrouping to find a way to fund I-15 expansion in the county.

The key disappointment for Utah County was the failure, due to time constraints and filibustering, of HB18 in the Senate. The bill would have created a new Transportation Improvement Fund (TIF) to bankroll highway capacity projects like the I-15 expansion.

"Needless to say, members in the House are not very pleased right now," said Rep. John Dougall, R-American Fork. "Because HB18 didn't get through the senate, that's why we're sitting where we are today."

In some senses, the county is sitting in limbo. While an appropriations bill gave $90 million in new, ongoing funds to the Centennial Highway Fund, it can't be used for I-15 in Utah County.

The Legislature gave an additional $30 million to the Utah Department of Transportation with the understanding that it would be used for I-15 widening, but with the failure of HB18, which would have directed those funds to TIF, those funds will be held in the Centennial Highway Fund instead.

At the most recent Mountainland Association of Governments transportation planning meeting, county leaders expressed a desire to find a way to channel the $30 million back to I-15.

"As long as (those funds are) in that holding pattern, they're not available for anything beyond (Centennial Highway Fund)," said Mountainland Executive Director Darrell Cook. "There has to be some mechanism to get them from there to alternatives."

Dougall told leaders that he'd heard similar questions asked by legislators already, and that legal counsel is looking into it. Some legislative leaders have also mentioned the possibility of resurrecting HB18 during a April special session.

Provo Mayor Lewis Billings expressed concern that Utah County ended up on the losing end of a legislative power-play.

"It sounds like the powers outside Utah County had more power than what was needed to get this passed," Billings said. "Sounds like we're in trouble."

But Billings also told Dougall that county leaders appreciate the progress made by legislators on transportation issues.

"I think it's incredible, the progress that's been made," Billings said. "I hope you know that; I think most of us feel that way. We may not have progressed as far as we needed, but we think that the house really did provide leadership on this."

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.