Last week the Utah legislature showed their opposition towards funding non-automobile transportation projects. Legislators have discovered a $4.5 million dollar surplus left over from $68.5 million that was allocated in 2010 for transportation projects within Salt Lake County. Senator Jerry Stevenson (R-Layton) has sponsored SB164, which proposes $3.5 million in road improvements along SR-201 in West Valley City and initially proposed an additional $1 million to help West Jordan and Sandy build a tunnel under 9000 South for the Jordan River Parkway Trail. SB164 was heard in the Senate Workforce Services and Community and Economic Development Committee last week.
Laura Hansen, executive director for the Jordan River Commission, spoke at the committee meeting in support of funding the tunnel. She explained that completing the 9000 South tunnel will close a gap and create a continuous trail from 200 South in Salt Lake City to 14600 South in Bluffdale. West Jordan has already committed up to $800,000 and Sandy nearly $400,000 in support of the project. In November 2001, the Jordan River Parkway Trail was featured in the US Department of the Interior’s America’s Great Outdoors: Fifty-State Report, which highlights “close to home” conservation projects throughout the nation, touted Hansen.
Unfortunately Senate President Michael Waddoups (R-Taylorsville) voiced opposition to “spending highway funds on a project that is not a roadway,” as reported by the Deseret News. The committee continued to object to allowing any funding for the Jordan River Trail, which left few options for Senator Stevenson and his bill. In the end, he agreed to an amendment removing it in order to salvage support for the bill’s other proposal.
For those of us who believe that transportation is more than just automobiles, this is a frustrating loss. The Jordan River Parkway Trail should be viewed not just as a recreation amenity, but also as a legitimate transportation thoroughfare providing an alternative to the autos that travel on the highways that parallel it. If you would like the Utah legislature to support transportation alternatives beyond autos, please email your senator and representative. And if you are unaware of who to contact, feel free to search by your home address here:
http://le.utah.gov/GIS/findDistrict.jsp
Read more about SB164:
http://le.utah.gov/~2012/htmdoc/sbillhtm/sb0164.htm
The Deseret News article on SB164:
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705398985/Legislators-wrangle-over-Jordan-River-trail-tunnel-project.html
Read the America’s Great Outdoors: Fifty-State Report by the US Department of the Interior:
http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/AMERICAS-GREAT-OUTDOORS-Salazar-Releases-50-State-Report-Highlighting-Projects-to-Promote-Conservation-Outdoor-Recreation.cfm
Read the Jordan River Commission's proposal for the 9000 South tunnel and the trail approaching from the north and south (PDF):
http://jordanrivercommission.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/proposal-spreads.pdf
Laura Hansen, executive director for the Jordan River Commission, spoke at the committee meeting in support of funding the tunnel. She explained that completing the 9000 South tunnel will close a gap and create a continuous trail from 200 South in Salt Lake City to 14600 South in Bluffdale. West Jordan has already committed up to $800,000 and Sandy nearly $400,000 in support of the project. In November 2001, the Jordan River Parkway Trail was featured in the US Department of the Interior’s America’s Great Outdoors: Fifty-State Report, which highlights “close to home” conservation projects throughout the nation, touted Hansen.
Unfortunately Senate President Michael Waddoups (R-Taylorsville) voiced opposition to “spending highway funds on a project that is not a roadway,” as reported by the Deseret News. The committee continued to object to allowing any funding for the Jordan River Trail, which left few options for Senator Stevenson and his bill. In the end, he agreed to an amendment removing it in order to salvage support for the bill’s other proposal.
For those of us who believe that transportation is more than just automobiles, this is a frustrating loss. The Jordan River Parkway Trail should be viewed not just as a recreation amenity, but also as a legitimate transportation thoroughfare providing an alternative to the autos that travel on the highways that parallel it. If you would like the Utah legislature to support transportation alternatives beyond autos, please email your senator and representative. And if you are unaware of who to contact, feel free to search by your home address here:
http://le.utah.gov/GIS/findDistrict.jsp
Read more about SB164:
http://le.utah.gov/~2012/htmdoc/sbillhtm/sb0164.htm
The Deseret News article on SB164:
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705398985/Legislators-wrangle-over-Jordan-River-trail-tunnel-project.html
Read the America’s Great Outdoors: Fifty-State Report by the US Department of the Interior:
http://www.doi.gov/news/pressreleases/AMERICAS-GREAT-OUTDOORS-Salazar-Releases-50-State-Report-Highlighting-Projects-to-Promote-Conservation-Outdoor-Recreation.cfm
Read the Jordan River Commission's proposal for the 9000 South tunnel and the trail approaching from the north and south (PDF):
http://jordanrivercommission.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/proposal-spreads.pdf
A great article, Mike. Such a complex (but not really, right?) issue. If only more of our representatives used bicycles.
ReplyDeleteAlthough this is a loss, we need to rally and let the government know that this is a project we want to see happen. We have to change hearts AND minds.
ReplyDeleteGood article. It is good to hear about this stuff otherwise we would never know what decisions were being made
ReplyDeleteKnowledge is power, right? Thanks again to Mike for great research and even better writing.
DeleteHey guys, this blog popped up in my google news feed, didn't know it existed!
ReplyDeleteDon't give up hope on this yet! We're still working on finding another funding source for the 9000 South tunnel, and are fairly confident that it will show up in another bill this session. We could use all the help you can provide though...so call your legislators, and specifically the folks on the Executive Appropriations Committee to tell them how important this trail is for our region. for details about the proposed tunnel, check out the Jordan River Commission's website: www.jordanrivercommission.orgthanks!Laura