UTA Builds for Growing Population, Winter Olympics
TRAX Light Rail and FrontRunner Regional Rail Prep for More Riders
Launched in 1970 to operate city buses, the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) became a railroad operator in 1999. That year, a 17-mile light rail line, built in anticipation of the 2002 Winter Olympics, started running between Sandy and Salt Lake City.
After several expansion projects, UTA today operates a 45-mile light rail system known as TRAX with 51 stations and three routes: the Blue Line, between downtown Salt Lake City and Draper Town Center; the Red Line, between University of Utah and South Jordan, and the Green Line, between Salt Lake International Airport and West Valley City. It is planning a fourth route that would open ahead of the Winter Games return to Utah in 2034.
In addition, UTA operates the FrontRunner, an 82-mile regional railroad between Ogden and Provo via Salt Lake City that began operations in 2008, and the S Line, a two-mile streetcar route between Salt Lake City’s Sugar District and South Salt Lake City.
With a population around 1.3 million in 2023, Salt Lake City ranks 46th among U.S. metropolitan statistical areas (MSA). But its railroad operations befit a much larger market. On an average weekday TRAX serves approximately 48,000 riders, FrontRunner carries more than 14,000 passengers, and just over 1,000 riders use the S-Line.
The Stadler vehicles feature 70 percent low floor space, which will make it easier for disabled persons to ride the trains. Eventually they will obviate the need for high-level platforms.
Both TRAX and FrontFunner are expanding to keep pace with the growing population of both the Salt Lake City MSA and the Salt Lake City – Provo – Ogden combined statistical area (CSA). The latter, which has a population of approximately 2.8 million, is home to 82 percent of Utah residents.
As part of this expansion last week UTA announced an agreement with Stadler to acquire 20 Citylink light rail vehicles (LRV) with an option to purchase 60 more. These cars represent the next generation of TRAX rolling stock and will replace Siemens S-70 cars purchased for the initial route, which are now 25 years old.
The Stadler vehicles feature 70 percent low floor space, which will make it easier for disabled persons to ride the trains. Eventually they will obviate the need for high-level platforms. In addition, they have 14 percent more passenger capacity than the cars they will replace. The new cars are expected to enter service in 2028.
While the Citylink cars have been widely used in Europe since 2003 the order from UTA, valued at $129 million, is Stadler’s first in the Western Hemisphere. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) will pick up slightly less than half the cost - $60 million.
The manufacturer, which located its US headquarters in Salt Lake City, plans to build a factory there where the new cars will be built. “The location of Stadler’s manufacturing facility in Utah provides a unique opportunity for UTA to work directly with our equipment supplier and fast track adjustments that develop throughout the build process,” UTA Executive Director Jay Fox said in a statement.
TRAX is a nationally recognized example of a cost-effective rail transit system. Its proposed fourth route, to be known as the Orange Line, would run between the University of Utah and the Salt Lake City Airport via downtown Salt Lake City.
In 2023 UTA released its strategic plan for the future of light rail. Work on the study began in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. By 2021 TRAX lost 60 percent of its riders; the S Line lost 45 percent. While substantial, on a percentage basis it was less than peer transit systems.
Since then ridership has rebounded, albeit slowly, While TRAX saw ridership grow 16 percent between September 2023 and 2024 to 47,746 average weekday riders it is still 22 percent below 2019 levels.
Expansion plans are being drawn in anticipation of the 2034 Winter Olympics and continued population growth. The Salt Lake City MSA population is expected to be around 1.7 million by 2050, which is approximately 30 percent higher than today.
From feedback gained through a public outreach process the study UTA identified two projects potential riders felt were most needed.
· Extending TRAX to the University of Utah’s Research Park via the new Orange line.
· All-night service on the Orange line between downtown Salt Lake City and Salt Lake International Airport.
Several infrastructure improvements were recommended in the study. They include raising the top speed for TRAX trains from 55 mph to 65 mph and working with partner agencies to improve traffic signal priority and reduce delays at critical intersections.
One of expansion proposal recommends rerouting the Red Line via the Ballpark Spur and 400 South, This line would run through the Granary District, an old factory area undergoing gentrification. It would include four or five new stops in the Granary and connect to downtown, the airport, and the university as well as stations along the Red, Blue, and Green lines.
This line would enable trains to run around downtown Salt Lake City in a loop. It would enable Blue Line trains to run to the airport and Green Line trains to Salt Lake Central, the hub TRAX shares with FrontRunner, Amtrak’s California Zephyr, and Greyhound.
The largest project would be the proposed Orange Line from the university to the airport. It would cost at least $390 million, depending on which of four proposed routes UTA selects as the preferred alternative. That recommendation is a prequel to submitting a final environmental impact statement to the FTA.
TRAX would like to expand service windows but sharing tracks with freight railroads at three locations constrains it. Because LRVs do not meet the same crash worthiness standards as regular railcars FRA regulations requires time-based separation of their operations.
Limited operating hours precludes many potential riders from using the service, e.g., workers who work late night or early morning shifts. In addition, non-revenue moves such as shuttling trains to and from maintenance centers, are restricted to TRAX’ hours of operation.
UTA’s other rail line, the FrontRunner regional rail service, also has expansion projects and new rolling stock in the pipeline. The FrontRunner 2X program calls for building eight new segments of double track. This would increase the portion of the 82-mile railroad that is double tracked from 26 percent to 49 percent.
Adding a second track would reduce wait times and enable trains to run more efficiently. During peak travel periods trains would be able to run every 15 minutes instead of every 30 minutes. With the added capacity FrontRunner could double the number of trains it operates from the current 25 weekday roundtrips.
FrontRunner 2X comes with a $966 million price tag. UTA expects the federal government will pick up around 70 percent of the tab with the rest coming from the state. So far, around two-thirds of the necessary funds have been sourced. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2026 with the project completed in 2030.
In addition to the double track project the state wants to buy 10 new trainsets for FrontRunner. Members of the Utah legislature want newer, faster, more technologically advanced trains that are cleaner, lighter, more energy efficient, and faster.
UTA officials stress the investment is necessary. Citing a study by the University of Utah’s Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, they say while population along the Wasatch Front is expected to grow by 31 percent demand for rail service will 76 percent greater largely due to driving conditions on Interstate 15, the region’s principal north-south highway.
"(It's) kind of creating a natural demand for FrontRunner ridership growth," said Janelle Robertson, a project manager with UTA. “ ... (and it’s) kind of showing we need to continue to invest in it (FrontRunner) for it to continue to be a viable option.”