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Utah’s Commuter Rail Project is on track
This is awesome news for tens of thousands of Utah commuters as the State receives what is arguably the biggest transportation grant ever. Less pollution, less delays and a streamlined train ride, for people moving from city to city, will make the whole corridor a lot more enjoyable.
Salt Lake City area commuters got a big boost as U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta sealed an agreement with the Utah Transit Authority for $489 million in federal funding for the “FrontRunner” Weber County-to-Salt Lake City Commuter Rail line.
The money will be used to build the new 44 mile commuter rail line that is expected to carry almost 12,000 weekday passengers taking nearly 6,000 cars off the roads everyday Mineta said during a visit to the Farmington Station construction site this afternoon.
“Because it runs parallel to I-15, this rail line offers a common-sense solution to highway congestion to and from Salt Lake City,” Mineta said. “And taking more cars off the road during rush hours will help keep people and products moving through Salt Lake City safely and on time, no matter which path they choose.”
The Full Funding Grant Agreement represents the federal government’s commitment to provide funding for the project, Mineta said. The funds will be allocated over a seven year period from 2006 through 2012.
It allows construction to continue on the new commuter rail line, which will provide service from Pleasant View to the existing Salt Lake City Intermodal Terminal in downtown Salt Lake City, with stops in Salt Lake, Weber and Davis counties.
The line’s downtown terminal will provide commuter rail passengers a direct connection for commuter rail, light rail, and passenger rail with UTA buses and Greyhound intercity bus service. Feeder buses will provide transportation from the terminal to local business and residential areas.
The grant, the largest award given to the state for a single project, will allow more workers to get to Salt Lake City’s booming businesses, Mineta said.
UTA plans to begin operating the line in November 2008, with service at 20-minute intervals during peak periods and every 40 minutes during off-peak periods. At startup, it will serve 6,100 people a day, and up to 12,500 people daily by 2025.
Tags: commuter rail, trains, transit, commuters, passengers, uta, utah
One Response to “Utah’s Commuter Rail Project is on track”
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I know this is old, but thank god for that rail line! I live in Bountiful and the commute North to go home can be ridiculous… especially when there is an accident during rush hour.