Transportation deficit worries Utah officials

Before the start of the legislative session, lawmakers had a $2 billion plan to fund transportation.

A delayed vote and contentious debate flayed that desire: Transportation got $120 million, but cries for more seemed to go unheeded.

"We were surprised," said Darrell Cook, executive director of the Mountainland Association of Governments. "Disappointed? Sure."

But the process provided "enabling legislation" and will hopefully guide future discussion, he said. Now the game is to regroup and plan for a gubernatorial transportation summit in September, where the talk could veer toward tax increases.

"Everything needs to be put on the table for consideration," said Lt. Gov. Gary Herbert. "I think there's a myriad of possibilities, and I don't know what the right answer is."

Lawmakers, business leaders and city and county officials met Tuesday to discuss the issue — and share the outcome of having passed several transportation bills during the session.

John Inglish, general manager of the Utah Transit Authority, and Utah County Commissioner Steve White also presented opinions. Transit was their topic and focused on how many dollars rail and bus should receive.

The meeting was part of a conference sponsored by the Utah Taxpayers Association.

"It's going to take a major way in thinking about how we do transportation to solve the problems. It's really out of control," Inglish said.

About $7.8 billion is needed to fund transportation over the next 10 years, according to the Wasatch Front Regional Council. About 2.1 billion is needed for transit projects; $4.1 billion for highways.

While Utah County just received $30 million for expansion of I-15, planners estimate the fix to be temporary. Other options like commuter rail must be available, they say.

But Utah County has yet to fund the project. Commissioner White says he understands the need. "We're ultimately one of the areas where there will be gridlock," he said. "We need to purchase today at low prices what will bankrupt us in the future."

Inglish said reluctance by government officials is part of the process. UTA is working with Utah and Salt Lake counties to discuss options to fund commuter rail; Davis and Weber counties have paid for their poertion of the line.

"The issue always ends up an ideological one and elected officials in this day and age are very leery about going after taxes to pay for needs," he said. "And yet transportation is a much more fundamental need."

Rep. Becky Lockhart, R-Provo, a featured speaker at the meeting, said more education is needed to push the public and lawmakers to fund the $7.8 billion transportation deficit and projects such as commuter rail.