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PROVO, Utah (AP) -- A government watchdog group says commuter rail isn't worth the money used to build it and that more roads should be built to alleviate traffic instead.
The Coalition for Accountable Government says the new FrontRunner commuter rail line isn't taking enough cars off roads to be cost effective. It says the line between Ogden and Salt Lake City has removed 7,800 daily car trips from Interstate 15 at the cost of $611 million.
The group argues the new Legacy Highway, at roughly the same cost, will draw about four times as much traffic from I-15 when it opens September 13.
However, commuter rail supporters say having public transit available lures business, reduces pollution and is less expensive to maintain.
Information from: The Daily Herald
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
