INTERLOCAL AGREEMENTS
Project Agreement – University LRT Project, Salt Lake City, UT

Project Description
The University LRT Project, at 2.5-miles and $120 million, was designed and constructed immediately prior to the 2002 Winter Olympics. The project included four station platforms, a double track, street-running light rail system requiring complete roadway and sidewalk reconstruction, light rail vehicles, traction power substations, fare collection equipment, right of way, and major utility reconstruction. The Project was entirely within Salt Lake City, in the center of one of the Utah Department of Transportation’s major east west corridors and major arterials feeding into downtown Salt Lake City, and ended in the overcrowded University of Utah’s Rice-Eccles Stadium parking lot. The major stakeholders for the project included the Utah Transit Authority, Salt Lake City, UDOT, and the University of Utah. This project was slated to provide the transportation services to and from the site of the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. Talk about pressure!!!!

Challenges
As a UTA employee, Mr. Greene served as the project manager for this project and took a heightened interest in the preparation of a centralized Interlocal Agreement for the project. The agreement for this project was unique in that it required the collaboration of the three largest stakeholders in the State; the Utah Department of Transportation, Salt Lake City, and the University of Utah.

The Utah Department of Transportation at first was not interested in having a light rail system on their roadway; the most important east-side arterial feeding downtown Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City was hugely interested in the project but concerned about the construction impact to the public and the urban “look” of the project. The University of Utah was interested in the Project but was uncomfortable with the impacts to the overcrowded stadium parking lot but also with their lack of familiarity with a large transit project and the speed at which decisions would have to be made. UTA’s challenges rested with controlling the budget but more importantly, managing the schedule so as to not impact the Olympic Games.

Success Story
The Interlocal Agreement on this Project was hugely successful. UTA was able to establish a project budget and schedule that was more enforceable not only with the design/build contractor, but with the stakeholders. When issues arose that could affect the design, schedule, and/or budget the team referred to the Interlocal Agreement for guidance. If there was a lack of clarity, the dispute process was clearly defined resulting in swift decisions and direction. This kept the Project moving without work stoppages or scope/cost growth. UDOT was comfortable with the authority agreed to in the Agreement allowing them to continue to steward the roadway rights as owner. Salt Lake City also was comfortable with the outcome based on the sensitivity to the public afforded by the Agreement terms and conditions. The University LRT Project was completed under budget and on schedule for the 2002 Winter Games.