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Utah Senate advances $5 million highway noise-abatement bill amid funding fight
Summary
Senate Bill 8, a proposal to direct roughly $5 million toward retrofit sound barriers on older interstate corridors, was advanced to third reading after a contentious floor debate about whether to use transportation funds, the Centennial Highway Fund, bonding, or general-fund appropriations.
Senators advanced Senate Bill 8 to third reading on Feb. 4 after several hours of floor debate over funding priorities for noise abatement on interstate corridors.
Sponsor Senator Bueller said the bill would direct $5 million from transportation-related funds to retrofit sound barriers where interstates cut through pre-existing residential neighborhoods and exceed noise criteria. "This is the exception [to the rule of leaving project prioritization to UDOT], because if we don't direct it, it will not happen," Bueller told colleagues, adding that the transportation fund contains limited, uncommitted dollars for such retrofits.
Opponents, including Senator Holmgren and Senator Peterson, argued the bill usurped the Transportation Commission's project-prioritization authority and could delay safety-critical projects. "If you do this out of transportation funds, you are going to slip the prioritization of the commissioners by millions of dollars," Holmgren said. Several senators urged alternative funding paths such as a general-fund appropriation, Centennial Highway Fund, or bonding.
Other senators raised constituent-impact arguments and examples where neighborhoods built before freeways now endure high decibel levels. Bueller presented decibel rankings and project lists prepared with UDOT estimates and said the initiative could be narrowed to the Centennial Highway Fund if needed.
After debate the Senate voted to advance SB8 to third reading on a roll call of 15 ayes, 12 nays and 2 absent. Sponsor Bueller signaled openness to amend the bill's funding source at a later stage.
Next steps: SB8 will be scheduled for third reading where proponents may offer amendments to change the funding source and project criteria.
