An 11th-hour, $1 billion transportation bonding bill gained passage on Tuesday despite some lawmakers’ reservations.
The bill, SB 277, would allow the state to borrow up to $1 billion spread out over four years to fast track high priority road projects through the Utah Department of Transportation.
The legislation popped up in the final days of Utah Legislature. After being introduced and passed out of the Senate on Monday evening, Rep. Francis Gibson, the House sponsor, urged his colleagues to do the same Tuesday morning.
“This particular bond that we’re looking for is to let UDOT work through its current list of projects — trying not to make this a Christmas tree list, where everyone gets what they want, but to stick within the list that's been currently set aside as needed,” he said.
John Gleason, a spokesman for UDOT, says the bond will allow them to expedite projects that have already been approved by the Transportation Commission, such as lane widenings on I-15 or repairs to interchanges.
“Say that you had a project that’s slated to begin in the construction season of 2021 and they wanted to move it up to 2019, this bonding would allow them to do that,” he said.
Only three representatives voted against the bill, even as some expressed reservations about how projects would be prioritized. The bill now heads to the governor’s desk for his signature.
