Power lines will be underground along 'Grand Boulevard'

One of the biggest investments along the North Temple "Grand Boulevard" won't ever be seen.

The Salt Lake City Council agreed Tuesday to sink $3.5 million into burying power lines along the street, even at the risk of digging deep into the fund that pays for streets, parks and transportation projects citywide.

With a light-rail line to the airport already under construction and Rocky Mountain Power willing to assume some of the cost of burying the lines, city leaders said the opportunity was too good to pass.

"It's a one-time opportunity," said Councilman Van Turner. "We'd be foolish to walk away from it."

Turner said the project, along with the $6.5 million decision earlier this year to embed the TRAX line in concrete, would most benefit future generations.

But in also approving improvements to the Jordan River Bridge and the Redwood Road intersection Tuesday, the city has now committed more than $10 million of the $13 million secured for the project.

Without a secure funding plan in place, the city risks having to commit $1 million of capital-improvement fund money each year for the next decade.

"We simply cannot afford it," said Councilman JT Martin, the lone dissenting vote Tuesday. "I'm not willing to sacrifice my district's infrastructure … for undergrounding power lines that we simply cannot afford."

Frank Gray, Salt Lake City's community and economic development director, said city officials are working to secure other funding options.

"We think there is room for finding an alternative funding," Gray said. "But the only stable source (is the capital-improvement fund)."

Councilwoman Jill Remington Love echoed concerns about using that money.

"Everything could be put on hold because of the decisions we made last week and this week," Love said. "This could be it for many years to come in terms of capital improvements in our city."

But ultimately, Love supported the decision to bury the lines in a 6-1 vote.

"This is one of those opportunities we can't pass up," she said.

Council Chairman Carlton Christensen, who represents the city's northwest neighborhoods, likened the project to the city's decision to build Mountain Dell Reservoir during the Great Depression.

"This leads to the heart of our community," Christensen said of North Temple.

Christensen acknowledged his vote could limit the amount of capital-improvement funding the west side sees in the coming years.

"This could be the allotment (for the west side)," he said. "And it may be more than our fair share."

A handful of North Temple business owners expressed support for the decision.

"It will be yours and our legacy," said Tom Guinney, a restaurateur whose company, Gastronomy, has plans to invest more than $100 million into development along the street.

The council must still prioritize other improvements along North Temple, a $23 million wish list that includes landscaping and other improvements planners deem critical to the project's success.

"This isn't a done deal," said Councilman Luke Garrott. "We've got a lot of tough decisions to make."

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