The Wasatch Front Regional Council estimates that the Top of Utah will see a 60 percent population increase over the next 30 years. Unfortunately, we're not a public transportation-oriented community in Utah. It's clear that we have to make some strides toward using public transit. If we don't, our freeways won't be able to handle the traffic flow. Add the resulting increase in pollution and we've got a big problem.
One partial solution to our future transit problems is to build transit-oriented communities that are near rail stations. In Davis County, for example, there are efforts to build housing in Clearfield near a rail stop. Of course, this type development costs money. Loans need to be approved. Bad economic times can stall projects.
One good transit idea that is percolating in the Legislature is Senate Bill 272. Sponsored by State Sen. Jerry Stevenson, R-Layton, it allows Utah Transit Authority to help develop transit-oriented communities near its rail stations. A transit agency would be able to subordinate properties to development companies that will later build next to the rail station.
UTA would not be the developer, but since it owns the property, it would have a say toward encouraging what is done with the property. Also, having UTA behind a development project makes it more likely that a builder won't run into loan-approval problems from lenders. Transit-oriented developments are a good economic deal given the future growth in the Top of Utah.
If SB272 becomes law, it would give a boost to transit-area developments such as the one mentioned in Clearfield. That project, still in the early stages, envisions a rental-housing facility of 3,100 to 3,500 units.
"We have a number of properties that we think are good candidates for these developments," said UTA spokesman Gerry Carpenter.
Even if Stevenson's SB272 fails to make it out of the Legislature this year, the effort should not be abandoned. We need to think long-term to solve future transit problems -- both for our driving convenience and air quality. If allowing UTA to help build homes and other buildings gets more commuters using public transit, that's an idea worth doing.
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