Commuter Rail Gets Millions to Start Planning and Design Phases

Commuter Rail Gets Millions to Start Planning and Design Phases

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator Bob Bennett today announced that nearly $34 million in U.S. Department of Transportation transit funds for commuter rail and the University of Utah Medical Center Light Rail extension is on its way to Utah.

"Both light rail and commuter rail are critical elements of the state's mass transit program," said Bennett, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. "Utah communities recognize the importance of these projects to help ease the traffic congestion along the Wasatch Front. TRAX has proven to be very successful, and it is my expectation that commuter rail will be as beneficial."

The Ogden-Salt Lake portion of commuter rail received a grant of $1.5 million for preparation of environmental documents regarding the engineering and design work and a $2.1 million grant for the preliminary engineering phase. Both the planning and preliminary engineering phases are important first steps to move this project forward. Bennett has been at the forefront of support for commuter rail, obtaining, to date, over $19 million for the Ogden-Provo portion.

The bulk of today's announcement will reimburse Utah Transit Authority for over $30 million in construction costs it incurred completing the University of Utah Medical Center extension of Light Rail in September 2003.

http://bennett.senate.gov/press/record.cfm?id=230437