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Ogden Express (OGX)
An OGX bus at Weber State Central, September 2023
Overview
Other name(s)Ogden/WSU BRT (during planning)
OwnerUtah Transit Authority (UTA)
LocaleOgden, Utah
United States
Termini
Stations13[1]
Service
TypeBus rapid transit (BRT)
SystemUTA bus rapid transit
Route number603X
Depot(s)Ogden
Rolling stockGillig Low Floor Plus (battery electric)[2]
History
OpenedAugust 20, 2023 (2023-08-20)[3]
August 29, 2022 (Wildcat Shuttle)[4]
Technical
Line length5.3 mi (8.5 km)[1]
CharacterAt-grade
Operating speed40 mph (64 km/h)
(maximum posted speed limit)
Route diagram

Legend
 Ogden Central Station
 750  to Provo via Salt Lake
 Kiesel Avenue
Washington Boulevard
Jefferson Avenue
Monroe Boulevard
25th & Herrison
28th Street
32nd Street
36th Street
Weber State Central*
Wildcat Village*
Dee Events Center*
McKay-Dee Hospital
*Wildcat Shuttle stops
Handicapped/disabled access all stations accessible
busway stop
on-street stop
This diagram:

Ogden Express (OGX) is a 5.3-mile (8.5 km) bus rapid transit (BRT) line in southern Ogden, Utah. United States.[5][3] The line is operated by the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) and runs between the Ogden Central Station (FrontRunner station) and the McKay-Dee Hospital, via Weber State University (WSU). OGX is the third of UTA's BRT lines along the Wasatch Front, and officially opened on August 20, 2023.[5][1]: 3–6 

Description

[edit]
Utah Transit Authority FrontRunner locomotive at the Ogden Central Station, May 2017

OGX connects the Ogden Intermodal Transit Center with Lindquist Field, The Junction, the Ogden/Weber Municipal Building, downtown Ogden, Ogden High School, Weber State University (including the Dee Events Center), and McKay-Dee Hospital. Much of the route runs along Harrison Boulevard (Utah State Route 203). UTA had anticipated having the Ogden Express operational by 2020, but by late May 2020,[6][7]: 35  construction was not expected to even begin until fall of the same year.[8] The same as its predecessor (the Utah Valley Express), OGX will be free to ride for at least the first three years of operation.[9]

OGX connects with the FrontRunner at Ogden Central station (formerly known as the Ogden Intermodal Transit Center). The FrontRunner is a commuter rail service run by UTA that operates along the Wasatch Front with service from Provo, through Salt Lake County (including Salt Lake City), Davis County, Weber County, and Ogden. The FrontRunner also connects with UTA's TRAX light rail system in the Salt Lake Valley[10] as well as Amtrak's California Zephyr (which runs daily between Chicago, Illinois and the San Francisco Bay Area).

The Dee Events Center Campus Shuttle Stop (now known as the Dee Events Center station) was upgraded to a transit center that would serve automobiles and bicycles (with bicycle facilities), as well as connect with local bus routes.[1]: 3 [11]

The Ogden Express runs every 10 minutes on weekdays between about 4:30 am and midnight. On Saturdays the frequency is every 15 minutes between about 9:30 am until 10:30 pm. On Sundays the frequency is every 30 minutes between about 10:00 am until 6:00 pm .[12][13]

Route description

[edit]
The Ogden Intermodal Transit Center, June 2015

The Ogden Express is designated as UTA Route 603X.[14] The route begins in the Ogden Central Station (formerly known as the Ogden Intermodal Transit Center) in west–central Ogden. It then runs east on 23rd Street to the Kiesel Avenue station. At Washington Boulevard (U.S. Route 89) it turns south along that street to reach the Washington Boulevard station. It then continues south and then east again on 25th Street to Jefferson Avenue, Monroe Boulevard, and 25th & Harrison stations.[14][15]

Upon reaching Harrison Boulevard (SR-203) OGX turns south along that street. After the 28th Street station, passing west of the Ogden High School, and beginning at about 31st Street, the route transitions to bus–only lanes in the center of the road reaches the 32nd Street and 36th Street stations. At about 37th Street, the route shifts east, off Harrison Boulevard and onto a busway that cuts across main campus of WSU.[14][15]

After the Weber State Central station and passing near multiple campus buildings it reaches the Wildcat Village station (located immediately northwest of its namesake, the Wildcat Village [student housing buildings]). The route then passes through a small residential area and leaves its busway. It then quickly reaches the Dee Events Center station (southwest of its namesake, the Dee Events Center). After passing just west of the Events Center, the route turns northwest, crosses Harrison Boulevard, and then has a counterclockwise look in the McKay-Dee Hospital parking lot, with the McKay-Dee Hospital station on the west side of the loop. After completing the loop, the OGX returns to the Ogden Central Station along a reverse of the same route.[14][15]

History

[edit]

Planning for the project officially began with the transit corridor study in November 2004,[16] but property acquisition began five years prior to that.[17] In early planning serious consideration was given to using a streetcar (similar to UTA 's S Line) to satisfy the transportation needs along the corridor,[18] but ultimately it was decided that BRT was the better option due to the costs involved with streetcar.[19] WSU has had a vested interest in transportation improvements since they would enable more people to get to and from campus without the necessity of more parking.[20]

On September 22, 2021, UTA officially announced the service is named the Ogden Express (OGX).[3] Prior to the announcement, the project had been known as the Ogden/WSU BRT. Service along part of the OGX busway began August 29, 2022, between Weber State Central station and Dee Events Center station as the Wildcat Shuttle (UTA Route 602).[21][14][22]

Stations

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All stations are located in Ogden.

Station[15] Southbound station Northbound station Opening date UTA Bus
Connections
[Note 1][23] 		Park
and
Ride
Lot[4] 		Notes
Northern end of the line
Ogden Central Station 2393 South Wall Avenue August 20, 2023 455, 470, 473, 601, 604, 613, F618, F620, 630, 674, 675 Yes  750  FrontRunner
Kiesel Avenue 23rd Street 23rd Street 601* No Serves The Junction and Lindquist Field
Washington Boulevard Washington Boulevard (US-89) Washington Boulevard (US-89) 470*, 601*, 604*, 612* Serves Ogden/Weber Municipal Building
Jefferson Avenue 25th Street 25th Street Serves United States Forest Service Building
Monroe Boulevard 25th Street 25th Street 645*
25th & Harrison 25th Street 25th Street 473*, 625*
28th Street Harrison Boulevard (SR-203) Harrison Boulevard (SR-203) 625 Serves Ogden High School
32nd Street Harrison Boulevard (SR-203) 455*, 625*, 645* Serves Mount Ogden Jr. High School
36th Street Harrison Boulevard (SR-203) 455*, 625*, 640*, 645*, 650*
Weber State Central August 29, 2022 602 (Wildcat Shuttle) Serves Weber State University main campus;
northern end of Wildcat Shuttle route
Wildcat Village 602 (Wildcat Shuttle) Serves Weber State University student housing (Wildcat Village)
Dee Events Center 602 (Wildcat Shuttle), 645 Yes Serves Dee Events Center;
southern end of OGX Wildcat Shuttle route
McKay-Dee Hospital August 20, 2023 645 No Serves McKay-Dee Hospital
*Indicates bus connections which do not connect directly at station/stop, but are easily accessible nearby

OGX Wildcat Shuttle

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The OGX Wildcat Shuttle (or Wildcat Shuttle)[Note 2] is special bus route that is directly associated with the OGX in three ways:

  • It runs along a small (0.84-mile [1.35 km]} section of the OGX busway, from the Weber State Central station to the Dee Events Center station.
  • It is the only bus other than the OGX that utilizes the OGX busway and the stations along it.
  • It has a 10-minute frequency that matches the weekday OGX frequency and the Wildcat Shuttle's schedule it set to run between the OGX buses so that when it is operating, either an OGX or Wildcat Shuttle stops approximately every five minutes at the three stations on the WSU campus.

The Wildcat Shuttle is designated as UTA Route 602. The Wildcat Shuttle operates Monday through Friday with a 10-minute frequency from about 7:15 am to 2:30 pm, but only on days when WSU is in session for Fall and Winter semesters.[24] The Wildcat Shuttle turns around on its north end at a roundabout on the OGX busway immediately north of the Weber State Central station[25] and on a loop in the Dee Events Center parking lot on its southern end.

The Wildcat Shuttle began operating on August 29, 2022 (one year prior to the completion of the remainder of OGX), but with a fairly different schedule. Initially, the Wildcat Shuttle only ran Monday through Friday, but only on days when WSU is in session for Fall and Winter semesters. Its initial schedule was every ten minutes from about 6:30 am to 8:30 pm, but increasing to every five minutes between about 8:30 am to 2:30 pm.[4] However, from May 8 to August 18, 2023 (following the end of the WSU 2023 Winter Semester), the Wildcat Shuttle began operating Monday through Friday with a fifteen-minute frequency from about 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.[26]

See also

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Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Bus connection routes are current as of Change Day, August 20, 2023
  2. ^ The namesake of the OGX Wildcat Shuttle is the mascot of WSU, the Weber State Wildcats.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Federal Transit Administration (February 22, 2019). Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Ogden/Weber State University Transit Project (PDF). rideuta.com (Report). Utah Transit Authority. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  2. ^ OGX Tour with UTA's James Larson (Video). Utah Transit Authority. September 22, 2021. Event occurs at 0:11. Retrieved July 6, 2022 – via YouTube.
  3. ^ a b c Williams, Carter (September 22, 2021). "UTA's Ogden rapid bus project has a new name as it inches closer to completion". ksl.com. Salt Lake City: Deseret Digital Media. Retrieved September 23, 2021.
  4. ^ a b c "602: Wildcat Shuttle". rideuta.com. Utah Transit Authority. August 2022. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 29, 2023. Retrieved August 20, 2023 – via Wayback Machine.
  5. ^ a b Williams, Carter (August 2, 2023). "After 2 decades of planning, Ogden's 'game-changer' transit project is ready to roll". ksl.com. Salt Lake City: Deseret Digital Media. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  6. ^ "Ogden BRT" (PDF). rideuta.com. Utah Transit Authority. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  7. ^ Federal Transit Administration and Utah Transit Authority (December 2018). Environmental Assessment: Ogden/Weber State University Transit Project (PDF). rideuta.com (Report). Utah Transit Authority. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  8. ^ Williams, Carter (May 28, 2020). "Construction for Ogden bus rapid transit system to begin in fall with $64.5M federal grant". ksl.com. Salt Lake City: Deseret Digital Media. Retrieved May 29, 2020.
  9. ^ Winterton, Scott G (April 14, 2021). "Utah's first rapid bus service is coming to Ogden, and it's free to ride for 3 years". ksl.com. Salt Lake City: Deseret Digital Media. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  10. ^ "UTA RAIL SYSTEM MAP". rideuta.com. Utah Transit Authority. December 2013. Archived from the original on June 9, 2014. Retrieved March 17, 2014.
  11. ^ "Ogden/Weber State University BRT Project Profile". transit.dot.gov. Federal Transit Administration. February 11, 2020. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  12. ^ "Ogden Express (OGX): Xperience". rideuta.com. Utah Transit Authority. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  13. ^ "Ogden/WSU BRT". rideuta.com. Utah Transit Authority. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  14. ^ a b c d e "OGX: 603X". rideuta.com. Utah Transit Authority. August 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  15. ^ a b c d "UTA OGX System map" (Map). rideuta.com. Utah Transit Authority. August 2023. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  16. ^ Update on the Ogden Bus Rapid Transit Project. ogdencity.com (Report). Ogden City Council. October 1, 2019. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  17. ^ Shaw, Mitch (October 6, 2019). "UTA working through property acquisitions, relocations for Ogden BRT project". Daily Herald. Provo, Utah: Ogden Newspapers. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  18. ^ "Streetcar or Bus Rapid Transit in Ogden?" (PDF). weber.edu. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  19. ^ "Stacy and Witbeck Inc. Tapped to Build Ogden BRT Line". Construction Equipment Guide. Vol. 13 (Utah State ed.). Fort Washington, Pennsylvania. June 21, 2020. p. 6. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  20. ^ Wang, Karissa (June 28, 2015). "UTA-WSU Transit Project Study looking at connecting key locations in Ogden". The Signpost. Ogden, Utah: Weber State University. Retrieved December 30, 2015.
  21. ^ Fox, Derick (August 24, 2022). "UTA opens new Ogden Express Wildcat Shuttle". ABC4 Utah (KTVX). Retrieved September 1, 2022.
  22. ^ Williams, Carter (August 28, 2022). "'Milestone' reached with 1st segment of Utah's newest bus rapid transit system set to debut". ksl.com. Salt Lake City: Deseret Digital Media. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  23. ^ "Weber & Davis System Map" (Map). rideuta.com. Utah Transit Authority. April 16, 2023. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  24. ^ "602: Wildcat Shuttle" (PDF). rideuta.com. Utah Transit Authority. August 2022. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  25. ^ "UTA Wildcat Shuttle Map" (JPEG) (Map). weber.edu. Weber State University. 2022. Retrieved August 21, 2023.
  26. ^ "602: Wildcat Shuttle" (PDF). rideuta.com. Utah Transit Authority. April 2023. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
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