Despite worry to the contrary last week, Rep. Karen Shepherd, D-Utah, said Tuesday that Utah is well on the road toward $83.8 million for highway and transit projects next year.
That came as Utah leaders officially sought the money from the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation for projects including widening I-15, building a light-rail train system, improving U.S. 89 in Davis County and rebuilding Provo's I-15/University Avenue interchange.Last week, aides to Rep. Jim Hansen, R-Utah, said they were told the House Public Works and Transportation Committee might not authorize those projects before the appropriations committee divides its 1995 budget pie among authorized projects only.
"I was concerned when I read that, too," said Shepherd, who is a member of the authorizing committee. "I checked into it, and everything should be OK. The committee should have a markup (on authorizations) in a couple of weeks."
Appropriations committee members again warned Utah officials Tuesday that without that formal authorization, they can get no part of the 1995 budget pie - because loopholes that had allowed that in the past have been closed.
"Rep. Shepherd is well aware of how important that is as a member of the (transportation) committee," noted Transportation Subcommittee Chairman Bob Carr, D-Mich.
Utah officials told the appropriations committee that all of the projects are vital.
W. Craig Zwick, executive director of the Utah Department of Transportation, said I-15 in Salt Lake County "has already outlived its 20-year design life by more than 10 years."
He added, "The existing structures are in desperate need of repair, and each needs to be replaced. . . . We are experiencing population and economic growth beyond our expectations, which will result in excessive demands and gridlock in the corridor."
Part of that upgrade includes construction of a parallel light-rail train system to help relieve congestion during reconstruction of the freeway.
Zwick said the I-15 project is so important to the state that the Legislature authorized paying 50 percent of its costs, although the federal government often pays 80 percent of such costs.
He requested $20 million in 1995 for the I-15 project from highway funds, and $4 million from transit funds.
He also sought $20 million for improvements on U.S. 89 between Farmington and I-84, which he said is "a safety and congestion problem."
Zwick also requested $17.5 million in 1995 for the I-15/University Avenue interchange in Provo. He said it is needed to accommodate planned growth at the Novell computer software company.
"Novell currently employs 1,200 and has indicated that planned growth includes 4,000 additional employees over the next five years," he said.
Utah officials also sought $5.4 million to widen 5600 West in West Valley City, $6 million to extend 2000 East in Sandy and $10.9 million for Utah Transit Authority system improvements.