Congress has bestowed a chunk of funding for a visitor's center at the mouth of American Fork Canyon.

In June, Rep. Jim Matheson's office announced that at Matheson's request, $1.6 million toward the project had been added to a funding bill. Highland recently announced that that money has now been finalized.

Though the money won't be enough to even begin construction, there is a silver lining. The mere fact that Congress has begun funding the building likely means that over time, they will finish funding it.

"It is a likelihood," said Timpanogos Cave superintendent Denis Davis in an interview.

It is unclear why the amount was $1.6 million. Highland is paying $5,000 a month to a lobbyist, hoping to pry $8 million from Uncle Sam's pockets to complete the building. A Matheson staffer has said the $1.6 million is a direct result of the work of Highland to push the building to reality.

"It's new money for the engineering and design work," said Davis. "Now we will be able to continue that."

Officials had done some work over the past three years to design the building, which will house not only a visitor's center for canyon- and cave-goers, but offices for National Forest and National Monument staff.

"That [design] money is nearly gone," Davis said, noting the new infusion will now ensure the design can be finished. "We are still waiting for money to build."

Even if another six or eight million materialized today, construction would still be one to two years away, since design has not been completed, he said.

It is likely that a new visitor's center will also be built at the base of the cave trail, to replace the temporary site there now. The temporary site, which has served cave visitors for years now, was built after a fire destroyed the existing cave center.

"We are very appreciative of Congressman Matheson for securing the funds," said Highland Mayor Jay Franson in a statement. "This has been a long effort that started with Senator Bennett's leadership and foresight in passing legislation" to make the interagency center possible. "It is great to see our federal elected officials work together to produce such a great outcome."

The money "comes after significant work and efforts by Mayor Jay Franson and the city administration to follow through on earlier legislation" which set forth a deal between the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Park Service allowing the purchase of 37.5 acres of land for the visitor's center and joint tenancy of the building.