South Davis transit looming

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With commuters from Weber and Davis counties anticipating the start of FrontRunner commuter rail service April 26, there's no moss growing under the feet of South Davis leaders. For the past couple of years, they've been looking toward possible light-rail vehicles, perhaps streetcars, and dedicated bus lanes to serve commuters -- and intra-county travelers -- who will not be best-served by FrontRunner since they already live so close to downtown Salt Lake City.

It may take a decade before these dreams become reality -- maybe longer -- but the process has begun. The Centerville and Bountiful city councils, along with the Davis County Commission, have offered preliminary support for the public transit bus-and-rail option, and now the Utah Transit Authority and Utah Department of Transportation can begin work on a draft environmental impact statement for the proposed projects.

As time goes on, the hope is that the other communities involved will be forthcoming with their approvals, as well.

The transit corridor would feature dedicated bus lanes between Farmington and the north terminus of the rail/streetcar line in Centerville -- connecting the FrontRunner station with the light-rail line extending south from Main Street and Parrish Lane, along Main Street, 200 West and Highway 89 in Bountiful, to Salt Lake's intermodal transportation hub. There would be 16 stations in all, and the price tag would be $400 million to $480 million, plus between $3 million and $4 million per year in operating costs. (See all this for yourself at www.southdavistransit.com/)

That sounds like a lot of money -- because it is. And costs will probably jump up every year before it's built. But the reality is, we're looking at $4 per gallon for gasoline this summer. Our air is thick with engine exhaust. Rather than looking with fear at the projected costs of public transit systems, we should be kicking ourselves for not doing this 10 years ago.

We urge the cities along this South Davis transit corridor to move ahead with haste, and the various state agencies involved to do likewise.

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