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SALT LAKE CITY — The Utah Transit Authority board of trustees Wednesday approved a $376 million budget that includes $4.7 million for service improvements in three northern Utah counties that voted in favor of Proposition 1 last November.

That means more bus service in Davis and Weber counties and expanded hours of operation in Tooele County. The airport TRAX stop also received funding with plans to move to a more central airport terminal location as the airport expansion plan is realized.

The new budget amount represents a substantial increase over the budget for fiscal year 2015 of $347.2 million. The budget was presented at the agency’s monthly meeting at UTA headquarters in Salt Lake City.

The increase was funded in large part by the ballot approved tax hike, which raised taxes by one penny for every $4 spent. The measure passed in 17 of 29 counties statewide. Davis and Weber counties will collect $11 million and $9 million more, respectively, in fiscal year 2016.

The only opposition vote to the budget was from Weber County Commissioner Matthew Bell, who voiced concern about Proposition 1 money being used for long-range capital planning. However, UTA interim president and CEO Jerry Benson assured the board that the new funds would help pay for 15 percent increases in annual bus service in both counties, not long-term development.

“It’s increases in bus service and improvements in (bus) stops and shelters in Weber and Davis counties,” he said.

Proposition 1 was also approved in Grand, San Juan, Duchesne, Carbon, Rich, Sanpete, Sevier and Tooele counties.

“In Tooele, it’s primarily an expansion in the hours of service, along with better stops and shelters and better public information,” Benson said.

UTA (Photo: Aaron Thorup)

Of the new tax money, 40 percent will go to support transit in counties that approved the increase and are served by UTA. Benson stated that UTA would use the funds to increase bus and transit services, including frequency, hours and amenities.

“That’s what we’re about, providing more and better service to people,” Benson said. “If we have more resources, we can do a better job of that.”

Of the remaining funds, 40 percent will go to city budgets for local projects and 20 percent will go to county budgets for regional projects. In counties without a transit district, 40 percent will go to cities and 60 percent will go to counties.

UTA (Photo: Aaron Thorup)

Money was also dedicated to revamping the light rail stop at the Salt Lake City International Airport. As part of the overall airport redevelopment project, UTA is working to move the Airport Trax stop from its current location at ground level adjacent to Terminal 1 up to the parking level at the concourse entrance.

“We’ve added $4.3 million in the 2016 budget to provide for design for the relocated Trax station,” he said. “It’s an improved location because it’s closer to the place where people will (come and go) in the passenger terminal.”

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