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LAYTON, Utah (AP) -- The city of Layton will sell an acre of land and swap part of a city park to help the Utah Transportation Authority to complete a new commuter rail network.
Under the agreement approved last week, Layton sells one acre of downtown land and turns over a slice of Veteran's Park.
The transit authority will pay $139,300 for the property and use it to build a park-and -ride lot. A 15-foot swath of land through the west side of Layton's Veteran's Park will be given to the project. In return, the city will pick up land on the south and east sides of the park.
Layton's city council agreed to the deal on the condition that the parking lot can also be used by downtown local shoppers.
The commuter rail line will stretch 44 miles, connecting Salt Lake City with eight other cities to the north. The end of the line is planned for Pleasant View, Utah near Ogden. The line is expected to be in operation by mid-2008.
The rail line is expected to ease increasing traffic congestion on Interstate 15 between Salt Lake and many northern Utah communities.
The Layton parcel is one of 156 the transit authority needs to secure in order to complete the project, said Steve Meyer, the transit authority's manager of engineering and construction for commuter rail. Most of the parcels are being acquired from private land owners, he said.
(Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
