Robert C. Fuehr, Utah vice president of US WEST Communications Inc., finds himself in a difficult position when it comes to where the proposed light rail will run once it reaches downtown Salt Lake City.
He is a member of the board of governors of the Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, which has adopted a resolution favoring the light rail moving along State Street.But in his job with US WEST, Fuehr favors any other location, mainly because the electric rail line will cause electrolysis damage to the communication lines beneath State Street.
Fuehr told the board Tuesday it would cost between $18 million and $20 million to relocate the lines if the light rail runs up State Street. That doesn't include the interruption problems, he said.
Proponents of the light rail system in Salt Lake County often point to the light rail system in Portland as an example of a good system, but Fuehr said that system caused serious problems to communications. "It's another world under the street that would be seriously affected by light rail," he said.
A suggestion has been made that only one light rail line run up the east side of State Street and one line run down Main Street. Fuehr said that might be a compromise that would cause less damage to his company.
Fred S. Ball, chamber president, said that even though the board has adopted a resolution favoring light rail on State Street, there is room for compromise and the State Street-Main Street suggestion might have some merit.
Lee J. Peacock, director of government affairs for the chamber, said the Salt Lake City Planning Commission will meet June 24 to make a recommendation on the light rail route and the Salt Lake City Council will meet July 15 to make a final decision. Peacock believes the planning commission favors the Main Street route as do several other organizations.