Though only half finished, Utah's $190 million bus rapid transit (BRT) project in Provo, Utah and Orem, Utah, is over budget by $11.3 million.
According to the Utah Transit Authority (UTA), BRT is "TRAX [the state's rail system] on rubber wheels," where riders buy their tickets from machines before boarding. During peak hours, the buses would come every six minutes, and could get priority at traffic lights, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. What's more, extra-long buses would have the ability to travel in bus-only lanes during half of their 10.5-mile route.
$150 million of the total budget was slated for transit, while the remaining $40 million was meant for UDOT highway improvements, the Salt Lake Tribune reported.
Additional Costs
According to UTA Director of Capital Projects Steve Meyer, the increase in the cost of the project is due to a few different factors, including:
- higher property values along the route, which have led to higher costs in getting the necessary rights of way, and
- unexpectedly higher construction costs, thanks to high demand for construction workers.
Meyer said the overrun price has been calculated to include all previously planned project enhancements, and the team will decide between reducing spending or coming up with the extra funds.
