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UTA says new Salt Lake County sales tax hike will go mostly to improve bus service — eventually

The Utah Transit Authority says it plans — eventually — to use most of the money from a newly approved sales tax hike in Salt Lake County to expand bus service as promised.

But first for a couple of years, it plans to spend most of this new revenue on studies and pilot projects to help design future service; to help build new garages and other facilities needed for expanded routes; and to accelerate maintenance and repair of aging TRAX train cars.

“We’re taking a phased approach to service implementation” over a few years, Steve Meyer, UTA interim executive director said Wednesday, explaining that the agency will need some time to design service, order and receive extra buses, hire and train more operators.