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Lehi City may be able to lose its on-grade railroad traffic crossings within the next few years on some of the city's major roads for less hazardous overpasses or underpasses.
Progress on future lines for FrontRunner commuter rail and tentative plans for the Transit Express in Utah County will add more rails to crossings drivers have to negotiate at Lehi's Main Street, Center Street and 300 East.
North Lehi's 2100 North and 2300 West crossings will also have added rails.
City engineer Lorin Powell proposed the idea of changing some to all on-grade railroad crossings with Utah Transit Authority FrontRunner commuter rail representatives earlier this year.
His idea has opened up discussion with Union Pacific, UTA's Transit Express or TRAX lightrail representatives, and the Utah Department of Transportation about lifting Lehi City roads over the tracks that cut through the community.
"It's a huge project, much bigger than I anticipated," Powell said while updating the City Council Tuesday evening.
UTA opened the FrontRunner commuter line in April from Ogden to Salt Lake City, a length of 38 miles. Plans are to extend FrontRunner to Provo in a second phase by 2013, so FrontRunner engineers are working on a deadline and have given Lehi City until July 11 to come up with a workable proposal.
Lehi Council members gave Powell a nod Tuesday to proceed with negotiations.
"I think we need to push this as far as we can," Mayor Howard Johnson said.
UTA is interested in the proposal for its TRAX line as well, tentatively planned to run on a line east of the city from Salt Lake County through Utah County. UDOT hadn't responded by Tuesday to the city's latest proposal.
"I'm surprised they're considering it," Councilman Mark Johnson said in a June meeting about FrontRunner's interest. "I think it's great. I'm just surprised."
There are two FrontRunner stations planned for Lehi, one at Thanksgiving Point in north Lehi and one at 850 East in south Lehi. The FrontRunner line will generally run parallel to Union Pacific's rail on the west side of the city.
Cost for the city's proposed off-grade crossings are in the double-digit millions with an estimated $20 million for the Main Street crossing project and slightly less for State Street's.
"It's a lot of money," Powell said at the City Council meeting. "It's a lot more than I expected. I expected a lot less than this. It has dampened my interest considerably."
Resources for funding the project are varied and are key to the proposal as far as which entity funds what and how.
Powell said UDOT could be involved heavily in some of the projects.
"I think Lorin has done a tremendous job in representing our needs to UDOT, UTA and Union Pacific as it relates to railroad crossings and roads in our community," said Jamie Davidson, city administrator.
He said if Powell can manage an agreement to get off-grade crossings "that would be huge for us." |
