ON MARCH 3 the Utah legislature agreed to provide up to $50m of operating assistance over 10 years for Utah Transit Authority’s proposed west-east TRAX light rail line in Salt Lake City. This clears the way for a Federal Transit Authority grant of $480m to cover the construction cost of the 17·5 km line linking the University of Utah campus with the airport, which is required for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games (RG 1.99 p9).

UTA is looking to open its initial 24 km north-south line between Salt Lake City and Sandy during November, four months early, and in time for the Christmas shopping season. Civil engineering on the $312m line is ahead of schedule and tracklaying is due to be finished by June. Catenary installation began at the end of February and should be finished in time for services to start in November.

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