TRAX light rail turns 25 as it looks toward expansion
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TRAX light rail car. Photo: Kim Bojórquez.
Wednesday marks the 25th anniversary of TRAX, the Utah Transit Authority's first light rail system.
Why it matters: Since launching the 15-mile Blue Line in 1999, ahead of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, TRAX has helped reduce car use and served millions of people in the Salt Lake Valley.
- In 2023, TRAX served over 10 million people, per UTA.
Yes, but: The light rail was not always seen as a favorable investment in the eyes of state leaders and voters.
Catch up quick: In 1996, the Utah GOP Central Committee passed a resolution opposing the transit project, arguing that public dollars should be diverted to improving I-15 instead, per the Deseret News.
- The proposal also faced pushback in Midvale and Sandy, where officials expressed concerns over construction, safety, noise and sinking property values, the News reported at the time.
- Ultimately, the light rail rolled forward with the assistance of federal aid.
What they're saying: "Our region has continued to grow at a pace that, as a young elected official, I never would have foreseen," UTA board chair Carlton Christensen told ABC 4 on Monday. "I never would have imagined the critical nature of transit to our community's success in the long term and how successful TRAX would be."
What's next: TRAX shows no sign of slowing down.
- In anticipation for the upcoming Salt Lake Bees stadium in the Daybreak neighborhood, a new light rail station in downtown South Jordan is scheduled to open in April.
- UTA is in the works to expand the Red Line to service the Granary District by 2032.
- The Orange Line is also set to be completed by then to better connect people traveling from Salt Lake City International Airport to the University of Utah.