(KCPW News) With construction on the line more than 90 percent complete, the Utah Transit Authority has announced December 10th of this year as the opening for its new Frontrunner line from Provo to Salt Lake City. Spokesman Gerry Carpenter says that’s two years ahead of schedule.
“We had a very light winter, which always helps with construction. In addition, the other side of it was the funding side,” he tells KCPW. “We were able to come to an arrangement with Utah County wherein they paid UTA back early for approximately $55 million in funds that they had borrowed from UTA to do road projects, and by getting that early payment back, it enabled us to move up the opening.”
Carpenter says to prepare for the opening, UTA will be holding several open houses to gather input on how to adjust bus service once Frontrunner is complete.
“Any time you introduce a new service like commuter rail to the community, we need to make changes to the bus service,” says Carpenter. “Part of this is to connect up the existing bus service to the new train service. We need to make the whole system work organically as one whole transit system.”
Testing is expected to begin on the line this summer. Five open houses have been scheduled across Utah County beginning next week:
April 11 – Saratoga Springs/Eagle Mountain
Saratoga Springs City Offices
1307 N. Commerce Drive, Saratoga Springs
6:30 – 8 p.m.
April 12 – American Fork
American Fork Senior Center
54 East Main Street, American Fork
6:30 – 8 p.m.
April 18 – Spanish Fork
Spanish Fork City Hall
40 South Main Street, Spanish Fork
6:30 – 8 p.m.
April 19 – Orem
Orem City Offices
56 North State Street, Orem
6:30 – 8 p.m.
April 25 – Provo
Utah County Administration Building
100 East Center Street, Provo
6:30 – 8 p.m.
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