Utah Highway Patrol (UHP) Colonel Mike Rapich presented the statutorily required report on coordination with the Utah Department of Transportation and with local agencies about new roadways and jurisdictional responsibilities. Rapich reviewed completed and proposed transitions, including Bangerter Highway (assumed July 1, FY25), portions of Mountain View Corridor in Salt Lake and Utah counties, the 2100 North/Lehi freeway connection, and SR-7/SR-17 work in Washington County.

Rapich described the multi-step process required to shift patrol responsibility and staffing to new or upgraded corridors: an analysis of calls for service and crash patterns, a budget and personnel request, and a two-year hiring and training timeline. He said Bangerter implementation included a phased start and the eventual opening of a West Salt Lake office; Mountain View Corridor work in Salt Lake County currently requires an additional 14 sworn FTEs by the LFA analysis, while the Utah County portion needs 6 sworn FTEs to assume full responsibility. "To complete the Mountain View Corridor all the way into Utah County, we're still in need of an additional 14 FTEs," Rapich said.

Col. Rapich and committee members noted other priorities: expanding 24/7 coverage along high-volume interstate corridors (I-15, I-70, portions of I-80) and continuing coordination with the Department of Transportation on incident-management teams. Rapich said the patrol used internal carryover to complete a west office build-out and purchase vehicles for earlier transitions and that additional appropriations have been or will be requested to fill remaining trooper needs.

Committee members thanked Rapich for his service; Senators and representatives paid tribute as the colonel said he will retire at month-end. Members emphasized the operational need to fund troopers to match growth in roadway capacity and to reduce reliance on overtime or local-agency assistance for major incidents. Senator Harper said he was pursuing funding options that could add approximately 14 new troopers in the coming year to cover Mountain View Corridor needs in Salt Lake and Utah counties.

Rapich closed by noting a manpower analysis indicating 36 FTEs would be required to restore full 24/7 coverage on southern I-15 and related corridors; he asked the Legislature to prioritize those needs as part of future budget requests.