The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) board of trustees announced it appointed Michael Allegra as the agency's new GM. Allegra succeeds John Inglish, who served as GM for the past 13 years and now moves to the position of CEO for UTA.

Effective immediately, Allegra will assume all GM responsibilities, including operations, projects and programs, and management of staff. Allegra previously served as assistant GM and chief capital development officer.

In his new capacity as CEO, Inglish is charged by the board to focus exclusively on national transit industry initiatives, to promote transit and influence national transportation policy, and to seek new federal and other funding opportunities for UTA.

Both Inglish and Allegra have been with UTA for more than 30 years. They have been instrumental in the development and expansion of mass transit across the Wasatch Front, serving six counties and 1,400 square miles. Together, they have built the agency from a small bus company to a true multimodal system with more than 600 buses and 70 miles of passenger rail, including TRAX and FrontRunner. Under their leadership, UTA has received national and international recognition as one of the most innovative and successful transit agencies in the country.

In addition, Inglish and Allegra are currently leading the effort to build an additional 70 miles of rail along the Wasatch Front, with four new light rail lines and the 45-mile extension of FrontRunner from Salt Lake City to Provo. Over the past five years, they have brought more than $1 billion in federal discretionary funding to Utah for mass transit projects.

In other action, the UTA board designated Bruce Jones as general counsel and president of government resources. The new title reflects expanded duties in coordinating UTA's government relations and resources at the local, state and federal levels.