TRAX (light rail)

Transit Express (TRAX) Utah Transit Authority's light rail
TRAX train at Gallivan Plaza TRAX train at Gallivan Plaza
Overview
Locale	Salt Lake City metropolitan area
Transit type	Light rail
Number of lines	3
Number of stations	41 open 9 nearing completion 2 planned
Daily ridership	56,900
Operation
Began operation	4 December 1999
Operator(s)	Utah Transit Authority
Number of vehicles	23 Siemens SD-100 LRVs 17 Siemens SD-160 LRVs 29 UTDC (former Santa Clara VTA cars) 77 Siemens S70
Technical
System length	35.3 mi (56.8 km)
Track gauge	4 ft 8+1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) standard gauge
Electrification	750 V DC, Overhead lines
System map A map of the entire UTA rail system by August 2013

UTA TRAX
Green Line Airport  704  Salt Lake City International Airport 1940 W North Temple Power  750  FrontRunner to Ogden Fairpark Jackson/Euclid North Temple Bridge /Guadalupe California Zephyr to Emeryville, California Red Line Planetarium  702†  703  University Medical Center Old GreekTown Fort Douglas Salt Lake Central  701  702†  University South Campus Arena Stadium Temple Square 900 East City Center Trolley Gallivan Plaza Library  Free Fare Zone  Courthouse 600 South 900 South Ballpark Central Pointe Green Line S Line to Fairmont in Sugar House River Trail Millcreek Redwood Junction Meadowbrook Decker Lake Murray North West Valley Central  704  Murray Central Fashion Place West Red Line Bingham Junction Blue Line Historic Gardner Midvale Fort Union West Jordan City Center Midvale Center 2700 W Sugar Factory Rd Historic Sandy Jordan Valley Sandy Expo 4800 W Old Bingham Hwy Sandy Civic Center 5600 W Old Bingham Hwy Crescent View South Jordan Parkway Kimballs Lane Daybreak Parkway  703   701  Draper Town Center California Zephyr to Chicago, Illinois  750  FrontRunner to Provo †  702  no longer operates

TRAX is a three-line light rail system in Utah's Salt Lake Valley, serving Salt Lake City and several of its suburbs throughout Salt Lake County. Its full official name is Transit Express, though this name is very rarely used. The system is operated by the Utah Transit Authority (UTA). All TRAX trains are powered by overhead electrical wires.

The first line, running from downtown Salt Lake City south to Sandy, was completed in 1999. The second line from downtown to the University of Utah was completed in 2001 and extended in 2003. An extension to the Salt Lake City Intermodal Hub was completed in April 2008. In August 2011, two extensions to South Jordan and West Valley City were completed. Plans call for two additional TRAX extensions to the Salt Lake City International Airport (to open 14 April 2013) and Draper (to open August 2013). The extensions to South Jordan, West Valley City, Draper, and the Airport were funded in part by a Salt Lake County sales tax increase that would pay for all four of the proposed TRAX extensions. A letter of intent signed with the Federal Transit Administration on 24 September 2007 secured the remaining funding for the light rail lines.

Both the University Line and its extension to the University Medical Center were completed ahead of schedule. A daily ridership of 15,000 was expected for the initial 15-mile (24 km) line in 1999. By the beginning of 2008, the expanded system of 17.5 miles (28.2 km) was served an estimated 40,000 passengers each day. The American Public Transportation Association estimated third quarter 2012 ridership at 56,900, making it the ninth-busiest light rail system in the country.

History

Light rail in the Salt Lake Valley was first seriously discussed in the late 1980s to provide an alternative to traffic congestion on I-15, but the idea was met with much criticism. On 10 October 1988, Congress approved $5 million in funds to preserve land along the proposed light rail corridor. Funding for the light rail line itself, however, remained uncertain. After Salt Lake City won the bid for the 2002 Winter Olympics in 1995, UTA used the city's host status to accelerate obtaining funding through the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Construction began in 1997. Protesters at the groundbreaking insisted that light rail would be both dangerous and a waste of money. Public opinion remained divided and businesses on Main Street in downtown Salt Lake City suffered during the construction period.

After the north-south line opened in late 1999 with sixteen stations, ridership expectations were quickly met. The system was enthusiastically embraced by valley residents, to the surprise of many, and once-skeptical communities soon began clamoring for extensions.

Funding for the University Line to Rice-Eccles Stadium allowed it to be completed in 2001 with four new stations, ahead of schedule and the Olympics. An extension to the University Medical Center that added three new stations was completed on 29 September 2003, fifteen months ahead of schedule. An infill station at 900 South in Salt Lake City was constructed in 2005, and a second infill station, at 9400 South in Sandy ("Sandy Expo"), opened in August 2006. On 13 December 2006, the UTA Board of Trustees voted to change the name of the station next to the Delta Center to "Arena" in response to the renaming of the nearby indoor arena to EnergySolutions Arena.

On 23 February 2006, plans for extending the main line westward to the current Salt Lake City Intermodal Hub near the Gateway District were approved. Two stations were built near the Gateway shopping district, as well as one at the Salt Lake Central Station (Salt Lake Intermodal Hub). They opened in April 2008, bringing the total number of stations to 28.

UTA currently has two service centers for TRAX maintenance: the Lovendahl Rail Service Center, which is just off the Red Line in Midvale, and the Jordan River Service Center, which is just off the Green Line in South Salt Lake.

FrontLines 2015

On 21 September 2006, a property tax hike proposal was replaced with a general transportation quarter-cent sales tax hike that was voted on and approved on November 7 of that year. On 21 December 2006, the Salt Lake County Council created a priority list for the sales tax, saying that TRAX and commuter rail should take priority. A letter of intent signed with the Federal Transit Administration on 24 September 2007 secured the remaining $500 million in funding for the light rail lines. This money will be used to finance the FrontLines 2015 expansion project, which will add four TRAX extensions by 2015 (as well as an expansion to FrontRunner commuter rail).

In order to support planned TRAX expansion, UTA ordered 77 Siemens S70 light rail vehicles from Siemens AG. It is the company's largest-ever light rail contract.

West Valley and South Jordan extensions

In 2008, construction began on two new extensions: one through West Valley City (now part of the Green Line) and another through the southwest portion of the Salt Lake Valley (now part of the Red Line). Both extensions were debuted in ceremonial openings on 2 August 2011, and permanently opened for regular service on 7 August. Both extensions were completed ahead of schedule and under budget. Upon completion of these expansions UTA adopted a color-code line names in place of their old destination-based line names.

Airport extension

A line from Salt Lake City International Airport to the University of Utah was in the original plans for the system to be completed before the 2002 Winter Olympics, but funding shortages only allowed for the eastern portion to be constructed. The airport line did eventually come to fruition, however, and ground was broken on 22 October 2008. It will contain 6 additional stations, including a transfer station to FrontRunner. Completion of the six-mile (10 km) expansion will open 14 April 2013.

Draper extension

On 14 November 2006, the Draper City Council approved the TRAX extension into that city. Neighbors in the area have continually fought the route suggested by UTA. The route follows an old rail line and UTA already owned the right of way. An alternative route that would run down the middle of State Street was also studied by UTA. Use of the UTA right of way for the line was challenged in court and was later approved by the Utah Supreme Court on 12 July 2008. UTA published a draft Environmental Impact Statement for the new line that names the UTA right of way as the preferred route. Construction on the first phase of the extension, which will include three new stations, has begun and is expected to be completed by August 2013. A second phase will eventually extend the line further south to 14600 South (near I-15), but dates have yet to be announced regarding the constructions and completion of the second phase.

Sugar House Streetcar

Main article: Sugar House Streetcar

For several years a TRAX spur into the Salt Lake City neighborhood of Sugar House had been contemplated. A series of community meetings were held in Sugar House as part of a larger transit study undertaken by UTA. Several transit alternatives were presented to the neighborhood, including bus rapid transit, light rail, and a streetcar. The streetcar seemed to be the preferred alternative.. On 20 October 2010, the Sugar House Streetcar line received a $26 million federal grant that would allow the street car to be completed in less than two years. It will use an existing rail line running along 2200 South from the Central Pointe TRAX Station to approximately 1100 East, near the primary Sugar House shopping district. The Sugar House Streetcar line is anticipated to open in late 2013.

A Blue Line train at Salt Lake Central Station

A sign at the Courthouse Station indicates the terminus of each line heading north

Planned expansion projects

UTA has ordered a Draft Environment Study Report for transit alternatives in southern Davis County, including more comprehensive bus service, streetcar lines, and a TRAX line. Some residents opposed UTA's proposal to bring light rail to southern Davis County.

In conjunction with the Mountain View Corridor project, there are also non-specific plans to eventually build a TRAX line on the west side of the Salt Lake Valley in the same general area as the Mountain View Corridor.

Lines and stations

Main articles: Blue Line (TRAX), Red Line (TRAX), and Green Line (TRAX)

Main article: List of UTA TRAX stations

TRAX Lines

Line		Opened (extensions)	Stations	Length	Terminals
bgcolor=#Template:UTA color width=32px |	Blue Line UTA Route 701	1999 (2008, 2013)	21 2013: 24	18.0 miles (29.0 km)	Downtown Salt Lake City – Sandy (Salt Lake Central – Sandy Civic Center) August 2013: Downtown – Draper (Salt Lake Central – Draper Town Center)
bgcolor=#Template:UTA color |	Red Line UTA Route 703	2001 (2003, 2011)	25		University of Utah (Salt Lake City) – Daybreak (South Jordan) (University Medical Center – Daybreak Parkway)
bgcolor=#Template:UTA color |	Green Line UTA Route 704	2011 (2013)	15 2013: 18		Downtown Salt Lake City – West Valley City (Salt Lake Central – West Valley Central) 14 April 2013: Airport – West Valley City (via Arena) (Airport – West Valley Central)

See also

• List of tram and light-rail transit systems
• Utah Transit Authority
• Transportation in Salt Lake City
• FrontRunner – commuter rail system
• Sugar House Streetcar

External links

• Utah Transit Authority official website
• TRAX official website
• Utah Rails, timeline of UTA Trax project