The Transportation Coordinating Committee recommended that the Wasatch Front Regional Council approve a set of board modifications and forward the 2024'29 Transportation Improvement Program for federal review.

The committee vote followed staff presentations that described board modifications adding dozens of projects across the Wasatch Front and highlighted that the TIP document contains roughly $10,000,000,000 in programmed projects for the region. "There's $10,000,000,000 worth of projects in this document," said Ben Witheridge, WFRC staff, during the presentation.

Why it matters: the TIP programs federal, state and local funds for highways, transit, active transportation and maintenance; approval by the regional council and subsequent federal review are required steps before projects can obligate federal dollars or proceed to construction.

Staff described four tables of board modifications that added or changed projects across Tooele, Salt Lake, Davis and Weber counties and other jurisdictions. Sample additions and changes included:
- Tooele County: an intersection improvement on SR-112 at 600 West, funded from regional transportation solution funds, estimated at $1,500,000.
- Salt Lake County (Mill Creek Canyon): a trailhead resurfacing and new restroom project funded with Fiscal Consolidated Appropriations Act (FCAA) 2023 funds ($800,000) plus local match (~$58,000; total about $858,000).
- Bluffdale: design and construction of a pedestrian/bicycle bridge over the railroad, canal and Jordan River with a $3.2 million federal award plus a local match of roughly $646,000.
- Tooele (Mid Valley Highway corridor): a right-of-way purchase line item of about $500,000 to hold parcels expected to take up to three years to acquire.
- Evapah Road (Tooele County): a roadway and safety project with a combined funding package exceeding $18 million drawn from multiple sources including FCAA ($3.5M), county funds, a Surface Transportation Grant and the Nationally Significant Federal Lands and Tribal Projects program.
- Several pavement rehabilitation and bridge replacement projects in Weber, Davis and Salt Lake counties with individual project estimates ranging from several million to tens of millions of dollars; staff noted these estimates frequently change during design and bidding.

Transit-related items included a UTA request to replace 20 light-rail vehicles through an FTA replacement award that required a 50/50 local match; WFRC staff said UTA will apply $60,000,000 previously set aside to meet the match for a $120,000,000 replacement package. UTA was also awarded funds to purchase 25 low-emission compressed natural gas buses and to install a CNG fueling pump at the Depot District; that package included roughly $17 million in federal low/no emissions funds and $3 million in local match.

Ben Witheridge summarized public engagement on the draft TIP: the public comment period produced more than 300 comments, including project-specific feedback that led to design changes on several projects. Wayne Binion, WFRC, said the public input and partner review feed decisions at UDOT, UTA and the regional council.

Votes at a glance:
- Approval of minutes from the June 15 meeting (as amended to add a failed motion and its maker/second/result): motion to approve with amendment made by Kevin Cromer (Air Quality Board); second by Council Member Dan Granado (Salt Lake County Council). Outcome: approved by voice vote.
- Recommendation to regional council to approve the board modifications described in staff materials: motion by Mayor Tammy Tran (Keeseville City); second by Commissioner Harvey (title: Commissioner). Outcome: recommendation approved by voice vote.
- Recommendation to regional council to approve the 2024'29 TIP, including air-quality conformity findings: motion made and seconded on the record; outcome: recommendation approved unanimously by voice vote.
- Recommendation to regional council to approve the joint self-certification of the metropolitan planning process to FHWA and FTA: motion made and seconded on the record; outcome: recommendation approved by voice vote.

What remains: Transcom recommended the package and the TIP to the regional council; the regional council will consider approval, after which the TIP and self-certification will move to the Federal Highway Administration and Federal Transit Administration for federal review and concurrence.

Full transcript excerpts of staff presentations and the committee votes are recorded in the meeting record.