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PROVO — The Utah Transit Authority board of trustees voted Friday to approve the advanced funding necessary to support the development of a Transportation Improvement Project in Utah County.
The decision was made during a special board meeting at UTA headquarters in Salt Lake City.
UTA and the Utah Department of Transportation are proposing to build a bus rapid transit system through Provo and Orem with construction starting this summer and completion expected in about two years. In addition to UTA and UDOT, the project is a partnership between the Mountainland Association of Governments, Provo, Orem and Utah County.
The estimated total cost of the project is $190 million, which includes $75 million from a Federal Transit Administration grant, $65 million from a local sales tax bond, $40 million from UDOT, $7 million from a UDOT donated right of way, along with $3 million from local sales taxes.
With some preliminary work underway, UTA administrators said the agency needs to use $23.8 million of its own funds upfront as it awaits federal grant monies already committed for the project.
“The items that we’re asking the board to advance money for are items that have been identified as eligible for pre-grant award spending,” explained UTA interim President Jerry Benson. The agency will be reimbursed upon receipt of the grant and other funding in the coming weeks, he said.
“In our recent past on large capital projects, UTA issued bonds,” he explained. “So it’s not unusual for UTA to be in this situation where we are having to advance funds out of our capital budget subject to being reimbursed.”
Officials said the Provo-Orem bus rapid transit project is aimed at addressing transit and roadway infrastructure needs. The preferred route, as defined in the environmental assessment process completed in 2011, would connect the Orem Intermodal Center, Utah Valley University, the University Mall area, BYU, high-density student housing areas, downtown Provo, the Provo Intermodal Center, Provo Towne Centre mall and the East Bay Business Park.
The buses would travel about half of the route in dedicated lanes with traffic signal prioritization.
In April, Provo Mayor John Curtis compared bus rapid transit to TRAX light rail because the buses would run in a dedicated lane, with passengers paying before boarding and accessing the buses through doors on the sides of extended vehicles.
Buses on the route are expected to run in five- to seven-minute intervals during peak hours and 10- to 15-minute intervals in nonpeak periods. The proposed route is estimated to allow buses to travel the entire 10.5-mile route five to 10 minutes faster than if traveled by car, Curtis said.
After some spirited debate, the advanced funding resolution was passed and the agency is now able to move forward with the project as scheduled. Some opponents of the project who spoke out during the public comment period were not pleased with the board’s decision, but said they appreciated having their voice heard at the meeting.
“It’s important that the people have an opportunity to weigh in on issues such as this,” said Provo resident and former Councilman David Acheson. “I’d have been happier if the people of the county would have had an opportunity to express their opinion through a referendum.”
He added that if the ridership of public transit in Utah County grows as projected by UTA, then the project will be justified. Those results have yet to be seen, he added.
Orem Mayor Richard Brunst was among the supporters who believe the project will help both cities in the long run.
“This will be a great project for Utah County and it is something needed for the future,” he said. “This will be a benefit for our community.”
