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Show - 8 PAGE 14 ' JULY 89 THE ZEPHYR shortfall In revenue. It Indicated that many present needs were not being BddrfffTttrf and that future needs would add to a further bloated backlog. In the study -An Interesting major premise was understood at the outset of scarce resources It is not - "It Is recognized that under conditionsto desired standards and condition. streets possible to Improve ad roads and Some Inadequacies simply have to be tolerated." With that understanding the report made some startling findings: - The State Highway System had a revenue need for highway construcadministration in the tion, bridge construction, maintenance and 1988-19- 92. Some 37 amount of $2.02 billion for the five year period are that for roads currently deficient percent of this need are (backlog). Counties account for $862 million In needs over this five year total. period. Backlog needs represent 56 percent of that million for that period. 44 Cities and towns have needs of $766 needs. that represents backlog percent of - affoumid the Ibemd a by ken sleight has been reported that made a trip to Salt Lake City to appear before the Impact Board concerning the proposed Book Cliffs road. This I did. And by doing so, I feel a bit more enlightened and yet more determined to seek more Information and to ask more questions. After seeing the pitch made by the engineering and development Interests and by local government officials, I could only briefly exhort the Board to assure that proper planning procedures would be carried out and that the public be Involved In the dedslon-maldprocess. I felt that there had been too much haste and too many shortcuts. Something as costly as the proposed Book Cliffs road should be extensively studied. The Impact Board did recognize the need for public Input And as Board Chairman, Alice Shearer noted, there Just wasn't that much money there for them. It Is small wonder. Communities across the state are fining up for whatever funds are available. The proposed project was placed In the pending file to be heard again In August That same day, after the Board meeting, I drove over to the offices of the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT There I requested and received various documents that would allow me to understand more fully the workings of the UDOT and their planning procedures pertaining to highway construction. I picked up a report I had previously requested entitled, Hlohwav Systems Plan, which was prepared for UDOT by Wilbur Smith Associates. It Includes functional classification revenue distribution, procedures, administrative a highway financial analysis and revenue sources. This report is must reading for those wanting to understand the workings of UDOT. I also picked up a copy of the Five Year Construction Program (1989-199published by UDOT. This document gives a budget describing what the state expects to receive In funds and how It proposes to spend the funds for construction projects by project. This Is extremely helpful In determining the states road construction plans. Another plan Is UDOTs Short Range Plan. The latest Is a compilation of projects by UDOT to address a wide assortment of highway Improvement and construction needs for the next five years. It fists the projects by district and priority. These three documents are essential towards furthering the publics understanding of highway procedures. These publications can be obtained free It I ng . 3) . by writing E. H. Findlay, Director, Utah Department of Transportation, 4501 south 2700 West, Salt Lake City, Utah 84119. Or phone them at 965-40What I read In the reports Is not what I have heard regarding the Book Cliffs road. It had been said the road was of high priority; yet the project was not even fisted on UDOTs Short Range Plan or on the Five Year Construc-tl- on Nor Is It listed on the preliminary engineering project or' Program. special funding project listings. Nor has It passed through UDOTs extensive programming process. The many requests to add more roads to the state highway system led UDOT to commission the study, the Highway Systems Plan. It commissioned Wilbur Smith Associates, a nationally and internationally recognized consulting engineering firm, to do the analytical work. The data files of UDOT were the Members of state, county and city major sources of study Information. each reviewed document of the jurisdictions study. In reading the study, I soon learned that a "crisis has developed with substantial revenue shortfalls" and that the future road costs "will be greatly mulUpled unless dramatic Increases In revenues are forthcoming. This study's aim was "to provide a realistic appraisal of highway revenue sources and changing needs. It shows that many miles of state, county and dty roads and facilities are below acceptable standards and are In need of Immediate improvements. Financial analysis demonstrated a significant 00. . insurance work welcome auto glass installed Bob's Body Shop With such a backlog of needs, one wonders how well be able to raise the needed money. It Is shown In the study that revenue forecasts, based on data and projected trends of various funding sources, Indicate This leaves a funds from all sources will be about $1.8986 billion. will experience a million! Counties some of $760 shortfall staggering Cities and towns will have a $435 million shortfall of $555 million. historical shortfall. readily apparent that additional revenues will be needed If we are Its urgency Is signalled by the to close the gap between' revenues and needs. ' "a greatly Increased effort Is needed to keep existing highway report from falling Into a worsened state of disrepair. To postpone needed systems rehabilitation would greatly Increase the costs of repairs when they are eventually undertaken." Wilbur Smith Associates recommended the Implementation of additional revenue sources. For the five year period, they are: Raise the local option sales tax one percent on all taxable Hems This would be used exclusively for the highway except fuels. would net $600 million. This program. Place an additional five percent statewide sales tax on motor fuels. K would bring In $215 milfion. Double all vehicle registration fees. $100 million. Dedicate one percent of the existing sales tax on auto related products to the Highway Users Fund. To net $75 million. Double all drivers license fees. Nets another $20 million. . Its - These measures would bring In some $1,010 million. There would still be a shortfall of some 739.5 million. Thus only 80 percent of the plan could be funded even If the State Legislature approved all of the above measures. Additional revenue measures were reviewed such as the consideration of a , weight-distan- ce tax, the designation of certain toll roads, and the establishment of a local options fuels tax. Other aKemative revenue sources, If enacted, could be from an gg valorem tax, , special taxes on diesel, oil company, franchise taxes, special truck taxes, corporate Income tax revenues, oil shale and other mineral severances and the general fond. ' ' r . j With this gigantic backlog of road needs and a scarcity of funds to pay for them, K Is ludicrous Indeed to even consider the construction of the Book Cliffs road. We just don't have that kind of money. If s Bke a homeowner deciding to build another driveway to his house when he already has one. The fact Is undisputable. There Is not enough money for all projects. It becomes a case of prioritization. We are forced to focus on Shall R be this project or that one. Which shall we drop? Or priorities. delay? We must ask ourselves then, "Is the dearest thing to us a road?" What about hospital needs? Education needs? Or the present call for a $4 million So . courthouse and Jail. The state has said K will participate in completing the road. Will R? Where Is R to get Rs funds? We have no real assurance or even any formal contracts with the state the road will ever be completed. And there is no assurance that the proposed road will ever be placed on the state system or This Is the Job of the state legislature, not the road designated US-1- 91. commission. There are so many unanswered questions and needs. We must slow down on this thing In order to set our priorities, to gain a better of the whole, to begin to follow proper planning procedures, andperspective to allow for public participation In the process. W the H11"9 very aPParerrt proposed road Is such a bargain, the oil and mineral Industries would have already buIR tt. Now to saddle little Grand County with such a large, expensive, and ing obligation Is unwise, to say the least. The great burden should not wholly be on our far-reach- shoulders. . . artwork by ms Katie Sensenbrenner " 1989 Milti irv 3D 3207 Roberts Rd. 259-673- 4 . mini!! 0M 7 r . "JWfOW5:'259-742- 4 4. t II V I ' I A a A A .1 Jl A a a'a . t V .,j |