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The great transportation debate in Utah is accelerating, which KSL believes is a good thing.
In coming weeks and months Utahns will hear aggressive proposals for funding expansion of the state's transportation infrastructure. There will be bold talk about a variety of tax increases, impact fees and special improvement districts.
At the same time, expect dire warnings of what the future will be like if Utahns fail to respond. There'll be candid talk of transportation gridlock, economic stagnation and competitive decline.
The debate is being driven, in part, by the Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce.
The business-backed organization is giving high priority to aggressively making a case for accelerating the investment in mass transit. The Chamber is pushing to have four proposed TRAX lines built ahead of current schedules: the lines to the Airport, to West Valley City, to the Daybreak development and to Draper.
While KSL is not prepared, as yet, to endorse any of the proposals, we compliment the Chamber for advancing the debate. We encourage Utahns to pay close attention to both the warnings given and the solutions proposed. Along with you, we look forward to the results of an independent study of Utah's transportation needs commissioned by the Chamber, which is scheduled to be released early in May. Then the debate can accelerate even more.
