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UTAH COUNTY -- Commuters in Utah County are getting closer to hearing UTA say "all aboard" for FrontRunner.
Construction started a couple of years ago on what will be known as FrontRunner South and work is moving along. In fact, the track from the end of the line in Provo north to Thanksgiving Point is now built.
We're working hard to fulfill our commitment to the taxpayers that approved this in 2006. We expect to have the project up and running here in the next couple of years.
–Gerry Carpenter
"There's still a couple of years of work ahead, but at this time, we're projecting an opening in 2014," said UTA spokesman Gerry Carpenter. "A lot of the track work in Utah County has been completed."
But it will still be some time before you see FrontRunner trains running on the rails. That's because when the project was approved five years ago, the economy was booming, and the revenue UTA was counting on then is down dramatically.
"With sales tax revenue being down about $100 million from where we were projecting it would be, we're faced with the challenge of having to slow down a little bit and not work quite as fast as we would otherwise," added Carpenter.
That being said, this FrontRunner line is more complex to build than the line to Ogden, which is already in operation. Instead of just two bridges that had to be built for the northern route, the southern line requires 20 bridges.
That makes the project not only more expensive, but it takes more time.
UTA promises commuters they will save time when the new FrontRunner line opens to a projected 7,500 passengers a day.
In addition to four stops in Utah County, FrontRunner will also have stops in South Jordan and Murray.
"We're working hard to fulfill our commitment to the taxpayers that approved this in 2006," said Carpenter. "We expect to have the project up and running here in the next couple of years."
Email: spenrod@ksl.com
