SALT LAKE CITY — Despite public protest and grumblings of funding uncertainties, the Salt Lake City Council voted Tuesday night to pledge a $3.1 million match to federal funding to extend the Sugar House Streetcar line.

The contentious 4-3 vote approved a second attempt to ask for federal funds for the line’s 0.4-mile extension to Highland Drive and 2100 South after last year’s application failed.

Currently, the street car runs from the TRAX Central Station at 2100 South and 200 West to 1050 East and 2250 South.

The council's vote means this year's application will build upon last year’s pledge to improve its chances.

The decision came after several Sugar House residents spoke against the plan, concerned that its continued construction will cripple businesses that already suffered during the first part of the line's installation. Others said the extension will further congest the already busy area.

If the grant is approved, it would secure $15 million of the $27.1 million extension. The remaining $12.1 million would be funded through a $6.5 million match from Salt Lake County and $2.5 million from the match approved by the City Council last year.

Council members James Rogers, Kyle LaMalfa, Stan Penfold and Erin Mendenhall voted to approve the grant application, citing the need to take advantage of alternative transportation in the booming area.

"We love Sugar House, and I don't believe widening our streets, building for more traffic in the heart of the city is going to alleviate traffic," Mendenhall said.

But council members Lisa Adams, Luke Garrott and Charlie Luke voted against the proposal. Adams, who represents Sugar House, said a 20-1 margin of her constituents oppose the project.

"I think it's important we listen to the people who live there," she said.

Kimi Eklund, who owns Kimi's Chop & Oyster House in Sugar House, said she fears construction of the line will hinder her business. Sugar House resident Pam Pedersen told the council the extension is ill-conceived, especially since the city has yet to put forward a concrete transportation master plan.

"I think ripping up all of Sugar House again to bring this line to the Sugar House Monument Plaza statue will be only good for a photo opportunity," Pederson said.

George Chapman, a local community activist, also spoke against the line extension, saying it would destroy the area's "business character." Earlier Tuesday, Chapman filed to enter the Salt Lake City mayoral race, joining Garrott and former state legislator Jackie Biskupski to challenge Mayor Ralph Becker.

LaMalfa said there will be plans built into the project to assist business owners during construction, and in the end the line will increase the street's transportation capacity.

"Fifteen million dollars is a generous gift to Sugar House," he said.

During a City Council work session early Tuesday, some council members were disgruntled over where the $3.1 million would eventually come from. LaMalfa, Mendenhall and Rogers echoed worries about a lack of stated financial contribution from the Utah Transity Authority.

“My reservation moving forward is that there isn’t any funding source from UTA,” Rogers said. "Being a stakeholder, that's part of it — putting skin into the game."

Penfold said debate over funding specifics were premature.

"We should be moving forward," he said. "Frankly, any way we can get this funded is better than not having it funded."

UTA spokesman Remi Barron said it's common for details about project funding to be negotiated after federal grant applications are submitted.

"Obviously, UTA will have a lot of money in the project one way or the other, and how that's broken down is something that will be worked out," Barron said.

If the grant is approved, construction would begin in 2017 and be completed later that year or early 2018.

Email: kmckellar@deseretnews.com