SunTran service to roll into Washington City

The Washington City Council unanimously approved an interlocal agreement with St. George to expand SunTran bus service into the city’s downtown area. If all goes as planned, SunTran will be rolling through Washington City by summer 2021 at the latest.


Following discussion between county and municipal officials, the Washington County Commission chose to adopt a 0.25% sales tax in June. The county plans to use a portion of the sales tax revenue for a proposed St. George to Springdale transit route. St. George News

St. George Regional Airport plans on future expansion

After recently opening following a four-month closure, St. George Regional Airport officials say the trajectory for passenger growth and future infrastructure improvements is well underway.


Although some of the improvements have already taken place, including expanding the terminal ramp by 110 feet, expanding the Transportation Security Administration’s area and repairing the pavement and roadway at the fuel farm, the next major improvement planned is the construction of several commercial hangars. Within the next two months, construction will begin.


In preparation for the construction, the St. George City Council recently approved the expenditure of $150,000 to cover half of the costs to pay for shared parking at the hangars. The remaining half, along with the cost of constructing the hangars, will be paid for by their owners. The council has also approved an airport budget increase by $404,400 to slightly more than $1.3 million to cover the costs of construction on a building to house the airport’s snow removal equipment. St George News

St. George City approves $23 million bid to replace runway ahead of airport closure

A St. George-based company has been chosen to replace thousands of feet of runway at the St. George Regional Airport during the facility’s temporary closure next year. A bid in the amount of $23,656,217 was awarded to JP Excavating to replace the runway, which has sustained extensive water damage in the years since it was built.

Approximately 7,000 feet of runway will be removed and replaced. About 5,400 feet in the center of the runway will also be excavated 17 feet down to remove blue clay. The contractor will then place a water barrier over the entire 7,000 feet of replaced runway. The project is expected to take four months to complete, requiring the airport to be closed to all flights from April 25-Aug. 21, 2019. St. George News

Kanab Airport gets FAA grant

The Kanab Municipal Airport has been awarded more than $2.4 million from the Federal Aviation Administration to rehabilitate its apron and runway. Airports receive a certain amount of Airport Improvement Program funding each year based on activity levels and project needs. Deseret News

UDOT commits $15M to explore, implement Springdale-St. George transit route

A transit service linking St. George to Springdale may be a step closer to reality with a $15 million commitment from the Utah Department of Transportation. Earlier this month, UDOT’s Transportation Commission approved putting the funds toward investigating the implementation of a transit service linking the gateway of Zion National Park to the heart of Washington County. The transit service is one of many proposed transportation improvements UDOT has identified in western Washington County related to Zion National Park, which is a part of a larger project connected to recreation hot spots across the state. Among the ideas discussed are continued improvements to state Route 9, the possibility of paving dirt roads connecting SR-9 and state Route 59, and the transit system connecting to St. George. KSL TV

Cedar City Council approves airport improvements

The Cedar City Airport may be receiving some improvements later this year. The Cedar City Council voted to sign a grant assistance application from the airport that will be submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration. Each year, the FAA awards the airport with a $1 million grant to be used for approved airport improvements, city officials said.

This year’s proposed improvements include asphalt rehabilitation, improvements to the SkyWest carrier ramp and the installation of a concrete hardstand, which officials said will be able to handle the weight of up to a 757 jet. The Spectrum

Another record year for St. George Regional Airport could mean more destinations

Officials say 174,000 passengers used the St. George Airport last year, which is a 9 to 10 percent increase from the year before, also a record year. Since 2010, traffic in and out of the airport is up 60 percent. Numbers were so good this past year, flights to new destinations out of St. George are becoming a possibility. Officials are working with airlines with the goal of adding flights to Phoenix and Los Angeles. United Airlines and Delta use SkyWest Airlines based out of St. George as the carrier. KSL News

St. George freeway underpass planned

The City of St. George finalized its end of an agreement last week to begin construction of a new freeway bridge and underpass along Interstate 15 at Mall Drive. The project will involve punching a hole under the freeway that will connect Red Cliffs Drive on the east side to Red Hills Parkway on the west side. There will also be two new lanes added to I-15 between those two interchanges, relieving some of the congestion along the two busiest miles of freeway in southern Utah.

The city allocated $3.7 million for its section of roads and infrastructure, with some additional money still needed for drainage, landscaping and other improvements. The total project cost is estimated at a little more than $24 million, with the state covering a little more than $20 million. Final design is underway and the project should be out to bid by the spring. The Spectrum

UDOT announces improvement project to St. George’s Bluff Street

The Utah Department of Transportation has announced construction will begin in 2018 on a new intersection at Bluff Street and Sunset Boulevard. The project will also include the widening of Bluff Street between Sunset Boulevard and St. George Boulevard, as well as some modifications to the St. George Boulevard intersection. UDOT officials say replacing project will improve traffic flow and reduce congestion. Deseret News

Jump in passengers at St. George airport

A record number of passengers were reported out of the St. George Regional Airport in 2014, continuing an upward trend seen since the facility opened five years ago. According to new enplanement data released by the Federal Aviation Administration last week, there were 59,321 boardings counted at the airport last year. It represents an 8.7 percent increase over the previous year and a 60 percent increase over 2010, the last full year of operations at St. George’s old airport. The Spectrum

What's Up Down South?

Here is a snapshot of some of the information during the What’s Up Down South portion of Thursday’s Washington County Economic Summit:

• The Utah Department of Transportation outlined a number of recently completed or under-construction projects, including two new segments of the Southern Parkway, a bridge across the Virgin River at Mall Drive, a new freeway interchange at Interstate 15 and St. George Boulevard, and ongoing studies into ways to address traffic congestion on Bluff Street.
  
•  Cedar City projects include a new freeway interchange at the southern edge of the city and a $35 million arts facility at Southern Utah University.
  
• SyberJet Aircraft is working to produce the world’s fastest and longest-range seven-seat light business jet, the SJ30. The company is moving its headquarters and final assembly facility to Cedar City where it’s expected to create 47 new full-time positions in 2013 and 850 jobs total by the end of 2019. The company plans to invest more than $350 million in facilities and company expansion.
  

Kanab Road Project

The Utah Department of Transportation is preparing to receive bids from general contractors on a U.S. 89 road project from Kanab to Kanab Creek aimed at alleviating the threat of potential catastrophic closure from ongoing erosion by the adjacent creek.

The U.S. 89 Kanab to Kanab Creek project includes shifting the road alignment away from Kanab Creek, providing additional slope protection, widening the shoulders and constructing an acceleration lane at the port of entry. Through working with the Kane County Water Conservancy District, mitigation efforts will also provide a new pipeline to preserve the adjacent historic irrigation tunnel and maintain critical water conveyance. Southern Utah News

Ivins officials OK SunTran route

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Ivins’ council voted unanimously to provide funds to match a federal grant for the cost of establishing a bus line that will connect riders from SunTran’s Sunset Boulevard station to the Tuacahn complex, the Veterans Home care center, medical offices and downtown residences. The remaining 80 percent of the costs will be funded by federal grants, and St. George will provide administrative services for the bus system. St. George approved its part of the agreement in June. It will be early 2015 before the public transportation route to begin. The Spectrum

 Note: According to the American Community Survey, only 0.4 percent of Washington County’s workers use public transportation to get to work. Another 4.4 percent work at home. On average, Washington County workers spend 17.5 minutes traveling to their employment—far lower the 25.5-minute U.S. average.

SunTran buses headed to Ivins

For the first time since St. George started the region’s first public bus service in 2003, another municipality is coming on board. Under a preliminary agreement between St. George and Ivins, residents in the smaller community could start seeing regular bus service by early 2015 after the St. George City Council voiced support for adding an Ivins route to its existing SunTran routes. Implementation of the change could take 18 months because of the slow process of ordering new buses. The Spectrum

SkyWest celebrates new market

Passengers aboard the inaugural flight from Denver to St. George were greeted by city officials and given gift bags by SkyWest employees at the St. George Municipal Airport to celebrate the airport’s newest flight option. Flights from Denver to St. George depart daily at 11:15 a.m., and daily flights to Denver depart at 1:30 p.m. The flights are offered through United Express. The Spectrum

Legislature studies 'local option' gas tax

Fuel-efficient vehicles, including hybrids and natural gas vehicles, help reduce pollution and can save drivers money at the pump — but they are also causing a nationwide concern as state governments attempt to make up for lost gas tax revenue.

Several studies, including one from Cambridge Energy Research Associates, shows America’s appetite for oil waning. Since a peak demand in 2007, demand of oil in America has been steadily and dramatically declining, with an expected continual drop of at least 7 percent over the next quarter century. While various factors can be attributed to this phenomena — including an aging population that is driving less —the main factor is that vehicles are becoming more fuel efficient.

According to J.P. Powers and Associates, fuel efficiency is the number one factor people take into consideration when purchasing a vehicle.

The problem comes from the fact that revenue from the 24.5-cent state gasoline tax used for repairing and maintaining roads — called the B and C fund — has been dropping, along with gas purchases. That means less money for the roads. These funds are not used on new projects, but to maintain current roads.

B and C road funds are collected by the state and distributed to counties and municipalities based on miles of road and population. In 2012, Utah spent $124 million for B and C road funds, of which approximately $1.5 million went to Iron County, $1.3 million went to Washington County and $1.5 million went to Garfield County.

With budgets shrinking, the state legislature is mulling ideas to raise more money for roads, including the possibility of a local option gas tax.

Iron County Commissioner Alma Adams said at Monday’s county commission meeting that such a program would see counties and cities opting into a tax to the tune of 5 to 10 cents per gallon. If they opt in, they would get an additional 10 percent in funding while they would lose 20 percent of funding if they opt out.



County Commissioner Dale Brinkerhoff suggested that increasing the tax on natural gas vehicles could be a better alternative. Currently natural gas is taxed at 8.5 cents per gallon as opposed to gasoline’s 24.5 cents per gallon.

Cedar City resident Ryan Gunn believes an increase in price at the pump for natural gas vehicles wouldn’t make it worthwhile to own one, citing increased costs when it comes to initial purchase price, conversion prices and maintenance.

While the final solution may not be popular, Kevin Kitchen, public information officer for the Utah Department of Transportation said something will need to happen to reverse the trend.

“We will do what the legislators tell us,” Kitchen said. “This is a problem every (department of transportation) across the country is facing.” The Spectrum

St. George City chips in $100k to airline expansion

Aiming to boost services and provide a lift for the local economy, the St. George City Council voted Wednesday to toss in $100,000 of city funds to support a new flight destination out of the new city airport.

The city was awarded a $550,000 grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Small Community Air Service Development Program in order to help get a new flight going to Denver, and possibly other western regional hubs, such as Phoenix or San Francisco.

To get the grant, the city agreed to put $100,000 in cash toward the effort. There is also an agreement in place to get $100,000 of in-kind funding in the form of fee waivers and an advertising campaign through the St. George Convention and Tourism Bureau and State of Utah Tourism office. A program sponsored by the St. George Area Chamber of Commerce could be worth another $100,000 in pre-purchased tickets. That gives city leaders $850,000 worth of incentives to lure airlines into bringing a new flight route to the airport. The Spectrum

Utah officials plan $1.6 million in improvements on scenic road

Utah transportation officials are planning $1.6 million in improvements for bicycle travel on a scenic stretch of state Route 18 disrupted by a recent highway project north of St. George.

The stretch of highway through Snow Canyon State Park was one of the most popular in the region before the Utah Department of Transportation repaved it earlier this year.

New "rumble strips" along narrower shoulders made it safer for drivers but nearly impossible for cyclists to navigate the road.

The Southern Utah Bicycle Alliance joined with local officials and convinced UDOT that the safety concerns for cyclists and ensuing loss of tourism revenue warranted a change. Now the state has agreed to improve the roadway, adding 6 to 8 feet of shoulder on both sides of the roadway on a four-mile stretch from Diamond Valley to the Ledges development, as well as on another stretch of road already under construction near Snow Canyon Parkway.

The route is a key part of the St. George Ironman, Huntsman Senior World Games, the Tour de St. George and other major events. Las Vegas Review-Journal

St. George strikes deal with Family Dollar

An $80 million facility — and its 450 jobs — are coming to St. George, with city officials expecting to finalize a deal this week with Family Dollar to build an 800,000-square-foot distribution center. Expected to open next summer, the distribution center is anticipated to provide 350 full-time workers when it opens, with another 100 expected to be created over the next 20 years.

Those jobs would come with full benefits and pay between 105 and 125 percent of Washington County’s median income of $15 per hour. As long as the company completes construction and maintains operation of the facility, the deal defers 75 percent of city’s portion of property taxes through 2022, but city officials contend that the combination of high-paying jobs and new revenues should be worth it. The Spectrum

A scanner will record your license plate, where it was and when

Drive your car over aspen-covered Boulder Mountain in southern Utah or park it in downtown Salt Lake City or on the Brigham Young University campus in Provo and you can expect something to happen.

The recent request by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to mount license plate scanners on Interstate 15 in southwestern Utah met opposition, but law enforcement across the state, including police at BYU, are already using license plate scanners to find everyone from parking scofflaws to violent crime suspects.

Even before the DEA request, southwestern Utah had a concentration of license plate scanners.

The St. George Police Department has its own scanner, while other police forces in that county are on a list of agencies that can borrow a car from the Utah State Tax Commission equipped with scanners. The drug task force that covers Iron and Garfield counties also has a license plate scanner it has used to build cases against people suspected of growing marijuana on public lands.

A Salt Lake Tribune review identified 47 police departments and county sheriffs who use license plate scanners or have permission to borrow the Tax Commission scanner cars. Statewide agencies, including the Utah Highway Patrol, also use the scanners. Salt Lake Tribune