Give transit its due, too
Text 
No Comments [ Add Comment ]B
uilding roads and mass transit systems is like eating too much ice cream: It can be done, yes, but there's a price to be paid.
The Weber County Commission this week joined the Davis County Commission in asking voters whether or not to raise taxes by a quarter-cent to pay for more roads and buses and, perhaps, rail. And in Box Elder County, the cities of Willard, Brigham City and Perry will likely ask their voters to approve the quarter-cent hikes, too, in order to someday extend FrontRunner commuter rail from Pleasant View to Brigham.
The respective commissioners and city leaders have confronted the unpleasant truth that our transportation and transit systems need upgrades to continue to handle economic expansion and help spur further economic growth. Over the decades to come, it'll mean hundreds of millions of dollars will have to be spent.
That's just the way it is, and that's why we support the passage of the tax increase.
But we think it's time, too, for communities to begin thinking in terms of transit as well as roads. If the quarter-cent tax increase is approved on Nov. 6 -- that's a penny for every $4 spent -- a quarter of the new revenue will be earmarked for corridor preservation. That means buying up land now that will someday be needed for new or expanded roads. At least, that's the traditional view of corridor preservation.
We think the respective counties' councils of government, made up primarily of representatives from each city within each county, should give thought to preserving mass-transit corridors, and to spending some of that money that has long been destined for roads on better mass transit.
With the recent surges in gasoline prices over the past year or so, lots of us have considered riding the bus to and from work instead of pouring money into our gas-guzzlers. But for many of us, the current bus system is inefficient and doesn't serve our needs -- our 30-minute drive becomes a two-hour slog. So we continue to drive, and by doing so make necessary the repairs on or expansion of existing roads, and the addition of new roads.
We're not naive. We'll need to continue repairing, rebuilding and creating new roads.
But we can mitigate roadway crowding and polluting the environment if we also seek out ways of improving our bus system, building streetcar systems -- maybe even light rail where possible -- and using commuter rail, which will come online in less than a year from now.
We ask that voters recognize the reality of the transportation challenges facing us and approve the quarter-cent tax increase on Nov. 6.
In addition, we urge our leaders to begin investigating possible transit solutions along with roadway construction as a way to deal with future growth in the Top of Utah.
Add Your Comment
