UTAH COUNTY, Utah, Oct. 14, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — Utah Transit Authority is seeking public comment on a proposed FrontRunner extension in southern Utah County.
“A study by the Utah Transit Authority has identified a Locally Preferred Alternative that includes extending commuter rail, FrontRunner, from Provo to Payson and adding express bus service from Payson to Santaquin,” said a news release from UTA. “The public is invited to comment on this proposal.”
UTA, the Mountainland Association of Governments and seven city governments in Utah County partnered to conduct the South Valley Transit Study, an evaluation of options for providing expanded transit service from Provo to Santaquin in the southern portion of Utah County.
The study evaluated numerous alternatives and selected the Locally Preferred Alternative by evaluating factors such as transit ridership, land use, economic development, cost, potential impacts to the natural and built environments, and public feedback, the news release said. The proposed commuter rail extension would connect to the current commuter rail operations in Provo and would provide southern Utah County residents with high-speed access to Salt Lake and Davis counties. A proposed route map with possible station locations can be found online here.
Mary De La Mare-Schaefer, study manager and UTA regional general manager, said: “The South Valley Transit Study is a proactive effort to meet the demands of growth and mobility between Provo and Santaquin. With the current and expected growth of this county, we can’t simply add more vehicles to the roads to address the future transportation needs. Transit solutions like this must be a part of the strategy to meet community needs.”
The study team and partnering city governments are asking for feedback from the area’s residents, property owners, business owners and transit users. The study team will host an online public meeting to present the Locally Preferred Alternative, answer questions and gather feedback on the study. The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 21, from 6 to 7 p.m. Visit the study website to register today.
The public may provide input on the Locally Preferred Alternative in the following ways:
- Visit the website at southvalleytransit.com and leave comments on the interactive map.
- Email [email protected].
- Call the study hotline at 385-355-3133.
- Mail feedback to South Valley Transit c/o Horrocks Engineers, 2162 West Grove Parkway, Suite 400, Pleasant Grove, UT 84062
Refinements to the Locally Preferred Alternative will be considered based on public input and additional technical analysis before being advanced to an environmental study for further evaluation in 2022.
