FrontRunner double-tracking project is now closer to receiving $1.3B federal grant

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah’s project to increase commuter rail service between Ogden and Provo is another step closer to receiving nearly $1.3 billion in federal funding.

The Federal Transit Administration on Friday approved the FrontRunner 2X project to enter the engineering phase of its Capital Investment Grants program. It’s a pivotal second step within the program that is needed before any project can receive funding for construction.

Related: UDOT explains proposed FrontRunner expansion in Provo that may impact homes

“This milestone is a major step forward for Utah. We are grateful to the U.S. Department of Transportation and Utah’s congressional delegation for their partnership and shared commitment to Utah’s future,” said Carlos Braceras, commissioner of the Utah Department of Transportation.

The project, a joint effort between UDOT and Utah Transit Authority, seeks to add a little more than 26 miles of additional track within the existing FrontRunner tracks in 11 locations scattered between Ogden and Provo. A new train station near the Point of the Mountain and 10 new trainsets are also included in the project, along with a new maintenance facility.

It would allow UTA to increase service from 30-minute and 60-minute frequencies to 15-minute and 30-minute frequencies, while also allowing it to operate on Sundays. All of this would allow for a more “balanced transportation system” that offers alternatives to highways as the Wasatch Front continues to grow, Braceras said.

The project has seemed to resonate with the federal government. Matthew Cahill, the administration’s acting deputy, said the agency is committed to “delivering real support for real infrastructure that improves the lives of real Americans,” which he believes the project exemplifies.

Matthew Cahill, the administration’s acting deputy, said the agency is committed to “delivering real support for real infrastructure that improves the lives of real Americans,” which he believes the project exemplifies.

“As one of the fastest growing areas in the country, meeting this milestone demonstrates how Utah leadership cares about its citizens by investing in transit that will serve the region for generations to come,” he said in a statement after the agency allowed the project to advance.

Utah leaders previously allocated $300 million to the project, but it has sought upward of $2.4 billion for rail projects from the federal government.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy seemed to signal support for the request when he took a ride on the train last year, as part of his meetings with Utah Sen. John Curtis and other state officials over the project. He said the federal government is seeking to make the “right investments” in transportation, and it appeared Utah’s systems were “doing it the right way.”

There was no immediate timeline for a final decision on the grant. If all of the funding is approved, Utah transportation leaders believe construction could begin as early as next year, with completion possible by 2030.

That would make service available well before the 2034 Utah Winter Olympics and Paralympics, which is a big factor in why the state is pushing for the project now, but that’s not the only reason, Jay Fox, UTA’s executive director, told KSL in June.

“Certainly, we want to see it well before the Olympics because it’s a game-changer,” he said at the time, noting that the 15-minute service would help the agency better align FrontRunner with its other services that run on 15-minute frequencies.