Transit's a priority — still

Second verse same as the first, Salt Lake County voters and their elected officials back transit.

State lawmakers need to respect the decision of the Salt Lake County Council of Governments, which voted a second time on Monday to fund TRAX and commuter rail. Even though Salt Lake County voters approved a quarter-cent sales tax increase more than a year ago and some $570 million in federal funding has since been secured for light and commuter rail, state lawmakers wanted Salt Lake County to reconsider how to distribute revenue from the sales tax increase.

The Council of Governments has spoken. It's time to move full steam ahead on these projects. Most importantly, it's crucial to keep faith with Salt Lake County voters who supported the tax hike. Exit polling conducted by Dan Jones & Associates at the time showed most voters believed they were imposing a tax hike to pay for transit, although the hike could also fund some highway projects.

The reason Salt Lake County voters and their leaders back transit is a well-founded belief that the Wasatch Front cannot pave its way out of traffic congestion. By any measure, TRAX has been successful. Imagine the possibilities when the service is available to more Utahns. Commuter rail will also ease traffic snarls along I-15.

This matter was delayed after a legislative audit determined that the process Salt Lake County used to pick light rail lines had a math error. That formula, incidentally, was set by lawmakers. After the audit, legislators called for a second vote using a corrected process. That's what happened on Monday.

County voters and elected officials have not swayed in their preferences. Expanding light rail can only be a boon in Salt Lake County, which needs to get as many cars off the road as possible. This can only help improve air quality and the mental health of commuters who, unquestionably, have more productive things to do than sit in traffic jams.