Business officials: ‘Dry port’ could make Utah a freight hub

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Some of the Utah’s top business leaders and officials say building an inland port could provide a major boost to the local economy as cargo is ferried from West Coast seaports to the rest of the country.
Similar “dry ports” have been built around the country, creating shipping hubs where cargo containers can be processed, stored and transferred from trucks and railcars.
Though Salt Lake City sits about 800 miles from the sea, state leaders say it could be a natural place for an inland port because of its proximity to interstate highways, an international airport and a major railway freight terminal run by Union Pacific railroad.
A new committee of business people and government officials is studying the issue and plans to make a recommendation to the governor later this year about whether to pursue the project.