UTA budget expands ski bus service, launches new ‘microtransit’ experiment and borrows for construction

Thanks to recent sales tax hikes, the Utah Transit Authority plans to spend nearly a half-billion dollars on operations next year as it proposed Wednesday a 7.4% budget increase.That includes funding more ski bus service, an experimental “microtransit” system in southwestern Salt Lake County (a hybrid of ride hailing services and traditional transit), and continuing recently expanded service in Salt Lake County.UTA also proposes a separate $190.5 million construction and maintenance