This was the gist of a report by Utah Transit Authority commuter rail managers Steve Meyer and Andrea Packer made before the Farmington City Council on April 7.
So far, UTA planners have identified locations for nine stations along the 44-mile stretch between Pleasant View and Salt Lake City. Clearfield, Layton, Woods Cross and Farmington sites are included. The Farmington station would be established west of I-15 and near State Street.
Right now, reported Meyer, the transit authority is working hard to complete a draft environmental impact statement (DEIS). It has received a $9 million federal appropriation for that purpose and to help fund engineering efforts.
"We're now preparing to release the DEIS to the public," he continued. "That should happen around April 30. Once released, a 45-day comment period will begin."
Copies of the the 600-page document will be available for public perusal at libraries and city offices all along the commuter rail corridor. The statement will look at "all environmental factors" and the impact of the project on it, as well as mitigation strategies for those impacts.
It also assess the area's current transportation systems, including the road network and documents the financial plan for the project, public involvement efforts and any impacts to historic properties and structures.
People living along the corridor will get another chance to view the plan during a series of open houses scheduled May 22-27. One of those will be held at the Davis Fair Park on Saturday, April 22. The exact time has not set yet, but it will likely be an afternoon meeting.
Area residents won't have to attend the meeting, however, to comment on the plan. They can simply e-mail their feelings into www.rideuta.com.
"We plan to complete the final EIS by the summer of 2004," said Meyer, "and submit it by fall. It's expected we'll have a decision by the feds sometime in the fall or winter of 2004."
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