Salt Lake County Mayor Opposes Airport Bill

Feb 29, 2008 by Jeff Robinson

Says It Could Kill Five TRAX Lines

(KCPW News) Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon says a bill that would keep Salt Lake City from using airport revenue to fund a TRAX line to the airport could potentially kill the other four TRAX lines that would extend throughout the valley. He agrees with Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker that it would put federal funding for the lines in jeopardy.

"It's a dangerous bill," he said. "Problem is, the funding for that TRAX line is tied in with hundreds of millions of dollars of government money, plus the other four lines out in the valley."

That bill is sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Curt Bramble, who says light rail doesn't help bring one more passenger in or out of the airport.

Mayor Corroon disagrees. He says with a TRAX line from the city to the airport, convention planners will be more likely to bring their business here.

"When these meeting planners come to look at Salt Lake for conventions, they want to make sure we have the resources to take care of the conventioneers," said the mayor. "If we have a light rail line that goes from the airport to downtown, I think it really would be a boost for our conventions, and they'd bring millions and millions of dollars into our economy."

The mayor says commercial transportation options, like taxi services, aren't enough to handle the tens of thousands of people who currently come into Salt Lake annually for the outdoor retailer convention. Bramble's bill is awaiting its third reading on the Senate floor.

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