The Transportation Investment Fund of 2005 (or TIF for short) is one of the largest accounts in the state budget, with revenues of over $3.2 billion in FY 2025. While appropriations for transportation projects represent a significant part of the state’s budget, the funding sources for these projects can be a bit confusing. In committees, you may hear references to “the TIF”, in which presenters could be referring to the TIF of 2005. However, there are actually many TIFs in the state budget. The figure below describes how the various Transportation Investment Funds (TIFs) are related:
The TIF of 2005 is a Capital Projects Fund that reflects all state highway projects funded by bond, state fund appropriations, interest earnings, or sales tax earmarks. Capital projects funds do not appear in UDOT’s operating and capital budget. Since Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, the Legislature has appropriated roughly $3.1 billion one-time from the General Fund to the Transportation Investment Fund (TIF) of 2005 for transportation projects. In FY 2025, the Legislature appropriated an additional $330.0 million ongoing to the TIF of 2005, which is considered a working rainy day fund. As noted in the chart above, the TIF of 2005 is the foundational account for the state’s transportation infrastructure funding.
TIF Capacity Program is a line item that accounts for Utah’s highway expansion projects, primarily funded by the TIF of 2005. For increased clarity, the Infrastructure and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee renamed this line item “Transportation Capacity Expansion” during their October 2024 interim meeting. The committee also approved the creation of separate line items for the ATIF, CCTIF, and Commuter Rail (subaccount of TTIF), which will appear in the UDOT operating and capital budget.
Recent Investments in Transportation
The Legislature is authorized make one-time General Fund appropriations to fund ‘Phase 1’ projects included in Utah’s Unified Transportation Plan that have not been funded through the Transportation Commission’s written prioritization process. The lists below include additional information about individual funded projects according to session, appropriated to both capital projects funds as well as the UDOT operating and capital budget.
2024 General Session ($1.33 billion General Fund – FY 2025)
The Legislature appropriated $775.0 million one-time from the General Fund and $330.0 million ongoing to the TIF of 2005 to expedite the following state highway transportation projects:
- I-84/US-89 Interchange Reconstruction;
- Bangerter Interchanges; 4100 S to California Ave;
- Lehi 2100 North Freeway; and
- I-15 Widening from Exit 6 – Exit 8.
In addition to this funding through the TIF of 2005, the Legislature provided appropriations to local projects via the UDOT Pass-through line item:
- $5.0 million one-time from the General Fund for a Bus Storage & Maintenance Facility for Cache Valley Transit District;
- $5.0 million one-time from the General Fund to assist in the expansion of the Provo Airport Terminal Building;
- $15 million one-time from the General Fund to build a Regional Airport Control Tower at the St. George Airport; and
- $200,000 one-time from the General Fund for the Central Wasatch Mountains Project to help improve recreation experience, mobility challenges, and environmental impacts/awareness of the Central Wasatch.
2023 General Session ($1.16 billion General Fund – FY 2024)
- $3.0 million one-time from the General Fund to Transportation Pass Through to supplement Federal and local funding to expand the Provo Airport Terminal;
- $2.5 million one-time from the General Fund to Transportation Pass Through to complete an interchange in Washington City; and
- $10.0 million one-time from the General Fund to Transportation Pass Through to expand the St. George Airport.
In addition to road, plane, and rail transportation investments, during the 2023 General Session the Legislature also invested a total of $345.0 million to the ATIF, CCTIF, and TTIF:
- $45.0 million one-time to the Active Transportation Investment Fund (ATIF) to build and maintain a network of paved trail projects throughout the state. The Legislature also directed the Tax Commission to reduce the Sales and Use Tax deposit to the TIF of 2005 and redirect that revenue to the ATIF.
- $100.0 million one-time from the General Fund to the Cottonwood Canyon TIF (CCTIF) to provide enhanced bus service, tolling, a mobility hub, and resort bus stops for Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons.
- $200.0 million one-time from the General Fund to build a new FrontRunner Station at the Point of the Mountain and double-track necessary sections of the FrontRunner commuter rail system.
Aside from pass-through investments, during the 2023 General Session the Legislature appropriated $800.0 million one-time from the General Fund for UDOT to:
- Make Transportation Investment Fund bond principal and interest payments for FY 2024, FY 2025, and FY 2026;
- Pass through to build a new roadway in Herriman that runs southeasterly and connects from 12600 South to 6400 West at approximately 13000 S;
- Program an interchange upgrade that has an environmental analysis complete and has a substantial right-of-way donation, and complete an environmental analysis on West Davis Corridor at 5500 S and 1800 N;
- Conduct an environmental analysis for an interchange on I-15 at Santaquin Main Street;
- Accelerate projects.
2022 General Session (1.25 billion General Fund – FY 2023)
- $2.0 million one-time from the Transportation Fund to replace the Kearns 4015 West Bridge Structure Replacement on 4000 West;
The Legislature also appropriated:
- $232.0 million one-time from the General Fund to replace and supplement $200.0 million in bonding authority for the FrontRunner double-tracking project.
- $1.0 billion one-time from the General Fund for:
- $75.0 million to the TTIF for the FrontRunner project;
- $75.0 million to the TTIF for Point of the Mountain transit project;
- $30.0 million to the TIF of 2005 for non-motorized trails;
- $35.0 million to the TIF of 2005 for Mountainland Association of Governments to repay locals for past road investments;
- $10 million to the TTIF for the extension of 9000 S in Salt Lake County at the Mountain View Corridor;
- $5 million to the TIF of 2005 for an environmental analysis for an interchange at US-6 and Spanish Fork Center Street;
- $5 million to the TIF of 2005 for an environmental analysis and preliminary engineering for an interchange on I-84 in Mountain Green;
- All remaining funding accelerates projects ranked by the Transportation Commission.
2021 General Session ($889.6 million General Fund – FY 2022)
- $6.0 million one-time to the Ogden Airport to restore funding rescinded in the 2020 5th Special Session for improvements to utilities, roadways and access, and direct flight support.
- $5.0 million one-time for the ASPIRE Center at Utah State University to demonstrate charging systems with 5G communications, plug-in, static and dynamic wireless charging and begin to lay the groundwork for electrified transportation to help improve air quality and enable sustainable growth throughout Utah.
- $44.0 million one-time to UDOT to support enhanced trails, open space, and outdoor recreation throughout the state.
The Legislature appropriated $733.0 million one-time from the General Fund to the TIF of 2005 to expedite the following state highway transportation projects:
- $705 million for 13 different state highway projects outlined in H.B. 433; and
- $28.0 million for local pass-through projects:
- $5 million for Payson Main Street repair and replacement;
- $8 million for a rail bypass on 14600 South in Bluffdale;
- $5 million for improvements to 4700 South in Taylorsville; and
- $10 million for U.S. 40 Frontage Road improvements near Mayflower.
The Legislature also authorized $101.6 million one-time from the General Fund for the TTIF:
- $100.0 million for double tracking certain areas of the Front Runner system;
- $1.6 million for a rail station in Vineyard.