This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

When the Utah Transportation Commission recently made long-range spending plans through 2022, it intentionally left nearly $190 million unspoken for — to cover unforeseen needs that could arise near the end of that long period.

But several cities and counties have since appeared seeking a share of that money for state highway projects in their areas. To decide such requests — and to show its priorities for the remaining money, which may slow the parade of such appeals — the commission has released a list of projects it is considering for those funds, and is accepting public comment.

Major projects include:

• Adding about $75 million to a project to widen portions of Interstate 15 from 12300 South to State Road 201.

The commission previously earmarked $98 million for that, but is considering expanding work. That would include removing railroad bridges west of the freeway on 7000 South, which had been considered as a separate project, said Cory Pope, project development director for the Utah Department of Transportation.

• $34 million to widen 9000 South between Redwood Road and I-15 in West Jordan.

• $26 million for work at a railroad crossing on 5600 West at 750 South in Salt Lake City.

• $8.5 million essentially to reimburse Bluffdale for improvements to Porter Rockwell Drive.

• $17 million to extend State Road 193 in Syracuse from 2000 West to 3000 West.

• $25 million to widen I-15 from two lanes to three between mileposts 38 and 42 in Washington County, near the entrance to the Kolob Canyons of Zion National Park.

• $2 million for an environmental study for possible work on State Road 73 between Saratoga Springs and Eagle Mountain. Pope said the proposals are for use of the Transportation Investment Fund, which comes from sales taxes on automobile-related items such as cars, tires, batteries and other auto supplies.

He noted that in the past the commission would plan the spending of that money for about four years into the future. But recent legislation required it to plan spending further into the horizon.

Pope said UDOT prepared a list of unfunded-but-planned projects that had the highest scores for need and potential benefit, and the commission chose its top preferences from that list.