UTA opens 2 west-side TRAX lines Sunday
August 6th, 2011 @ 8:06pm
By Ladd Brubaker
SALT LAKE CITY — By some measures, Sunday is a historic day for the Utah Transit Authority. When two new TRAX lines begin service to the west side of Salt Lake Valley, they will add up to the most miles of light rail to be put into service in a single day.
The original TRAX line that opened Dec. 3, 1999, ran 15.1 miles from the Sandy Civic Center to the then-Delta Center. The new Mid-Jordan line runs 10.6 miles from the Fashion Place station to the Daybreak development in South Jordan. And the new West Valley line runs an additional 5.1 miles, totaling 15.7, according to the UTA.
At more than $900 million, it's the costliest addition to the light rail system to date. And it will immediately bring average daily ridership to 58,000.
"This is a great day. I believe it will only be greater in the future, as generations to come see that we had the foresight to create these TRAX lines when we could do it." -Kent Money
Sunday’s significance is not lost on UTA and local government leaders involved in a planning and construction process that has been in the works as far back as 1996. That’s when Wasatch Front Regional Council planners first outlined the need for transportation options on the west side of Salt Lake Valley.
At one of two grand opening ceremonies Tuesday, Kent Money, the mayor of South Jordan said, “This is a great day. I believe it will only be greater in the future, as generations to come see that we had the foresight to create these TRAX lines when we could do it.”
Many members of the public are excited for the new TRAX trains as well.
“For me, I love trains,” said Ariel Aguin, a young father of two. “I would take them everywhere if I could.” He was riding the new line from West Valley City Hall to downtown Salt Lake with his family Wednesday during UTA’s Food for Fare day.
Since he works in Taylorsville, though, Aguin won’t be taking TRAX to work. But his wife, Andrea, says, “We’ll definitely use it when we go downtown. There’s plenty to do downtown.”
TRAX is also adding more new rail cars than are now in use: the 77 new “low-floor entrance” cars add to the 69 older models now in service.
The two lines are also the most costly addition to Salt Lake County light rail. The original line came in at $312 million in 1999, according to UTA. The West Valley line alone cost $370 million, the Mid-Jordan another $535 million.
UTA is projecting 14,000 weekday riders on the two lines at opening, to add to its 44,000 daily average now.
West Valley TRAX line
Credit: Utah Transit Authority
UTA is not only nearly doubling its track miles, Carpenter noted. But with three lines now running trains every 15 minutes on weekdays (every 20 on weekends), a new train from one of the three lines will arrive at some stations every two to three minutes.
The high-traffic area from 2100 South to Courthouse at 400 S. Main. “will have a very high level of transit service,” Carpenter said.
For example, a northbound Red Line train from Daybreak is scheduled to hit the Central Pointe station at 8:05 a.m. A Sandy Blue Line train should make it at 8:10, and a West Valley Green Line at 8:15. Another three trains will come in heading south.
UTA may decide to adjust schedules later, if needed, to maximize the use of TRAX resources, he added.
But riders to the new and old lines will want to pay attention to some changes to make sure they are on the right train.
Perhaps the biggest change, UTA spokesman Gerry Carpenter says, is for those traveling to the University of Utah. Northbound riders on all but the Red Line train must transfer one stop sooner — at Courthouse station, instead of Gallivan Plaza.
Those on the Red Line train, which travels directly to the University of Utah from South Jordan, heading into downtown must also transfer to a Green or Blue line train at Courthouse.
The southbound Green Line West Valley trains split off from the main TRAX corridor at the Central Pointe station at 2100 South. And South Jordan-bound Red Line trains head west from the Fashion Place stop at 6400 South. Of course, a rider could always transfer sooner than needed.
Mid-Jordan TRAX Line
Credit: Utah Transit Authority
Lighted signs on the sides and ends of the rail cars let passengers know which line they’re boarding.
On the new trains, the low floor entry should be the most obvious difference to many riders. No more being greeed by a steep set of stairs when the doors open. The low floors will make it easier not only wheelchair riders, but also cyclists, stroller pushers and others.
And each car’s two center doors have a low ramp that slides out from the floor and onto the platform. When pushed, it takes the doors longer to open to allow the ramp to slide out. To access a ramp, push the round, blue buttons with the International Symbol of Access, or “wheelchair symbol” that are on the doors. The round, green buttons just open the door without a ramp.
Another change that may surprise some: paid parking. Not to worry, though. The charge applies only to the 550 TRAX-dedicated spaces in a new parking structure at the Jordan Valley station at 3400 West and 8600 South, which is near Jordan Valley Hospital.
It’s the first parking structure that UTA has ever built or owned, Carpenter said, and it is a part of the transportation, retail and residential center being developed there. Parking costs $2 a day or $35 a month.
Carlos Malespin of West Valley City was getting a jump on trying out the route to his work, as he enjoyed the Food for Fare rides Wednesday with his son, Carlos Jr., age 9.
Malespin hopes the new line saves him from taking a bus to the north-south TRAX line, then another bus to his work as a nursing assistant near Sugar House, he said. He emigrated from Nicaragua 18 years ago where mass transit is common, but usually in the form of a bus.
He likes the new cars. The seats are more comfortable and the views seem better. “Mas moderno,” he said.
“I’m so happy to this chance to ride the train from West Valley.”
Email: lbrubaker@desnews.com
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