High Valley Transit secures $40 million in funding

Onboard the High Valley Transit 101. Photo: TownLift

SUMMIT COUNTY, Utah — The Utah Transportation Commission approved $40 million in state and federal funding for Summit County and the High Valley Transit District (HVTD).

The money is earmarked for two critical projects: S.R. 224 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and an HVTD operations and maintenance facility.

“High Valley Transit is so grateful to the Utah State Transportation Commission for its support,” HVTD Board Chair Kim Carson said in a statement. “This money for the S.R. 224 BRT will allow us to continue progress on this critical project that will improve safe and timely movement through the 224 corridor, increase access for underserved neighborhoods and low-income populations, and provide significant environmental benefits.”

$30.3 million is dedicated to the S.R. 224 BRT project, making it the largest single grant the county has ever received for any purpose.

The project will add dedicated lanes in each direction on much of S.R. 224 exclusively for use by transit vehicles, school buses and emergency vehicles.

It will additionally create two new transit stations, provide improvements on three other existing stations and allow for operational improvements at intersections along the S.R. 224 corridor.

“Once finished, the BRT system will deliver frequent, fast and reliable transit service to the county, and help S.R. 224 function better for all users,” a press release said.

The remaining funds will be split between a new HVTD facility and the expansion of HVTD’s electric fleet.  $1.7 million will purchase electric transit vehicles and charging infrastructure and $8 million will help fund the construction of the operations and maintenance facility.

The facility will be built on an eight-acre campus just south of the Home Depot—a location strategically placed to allow the transit district to serve the entire Wasatch Back.

The campus will include an operations and administration building that will incorporate second-story driver housing, as well as a maintenance and bus washing building and an indoor parking and charging barn.