Suburban Salt Lake cities are squabbling over who should host a possible station for the area's new commuter rail system. The city seen as the best choice doesn't want a station, while another city is doing all it can to lure the system.
"Bluffdale is the front-runner for FrontRunner despite its best efforts to keep out the high-speed train."
"Neighboring Draper would gladly take it - it's working with a developer on a possible station - but the city might not even get a stop. In February, Bluffdale's City Council voted 3-2 to block the Utah Transit Authority from building a commuter-rail stop at 14200 South along an existing Union Pacific rail line. The majority worried the train would bring traffic and other unwanted growth to the semi-rural city of 7,000 people."
"But state lawmakers passed a bill that allows UTA to bypass city ordinances and route FrontRunner where it pleases."
"FrontRunner launched daily service this week from Ogden to Salt Lake City, but it isn't expected to start running south to Provo until 2012 or 2013."
"So Draper leaders are working with a developer on a transit-oriented project just north of Bangerter Highway in an effort to lure FrontRunner to their growing city of 37,000."
"They argue a Draper route would better serve southern Salt Lake County, build the city's tax base and boost the value of the neighboring Utah State Prison site, which could bolster renewed efforts to push the penitentiary off the prime property."
