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TRAX Mid-Jordan Line

This page was last updated on June 1, 2013.

Overview

The Mid-Jordan TRAX line is a 10.6 mile light rail line connecting the communities of Murray, Midvale, West Jordan and South Jordan with the existing Sandy/Salt Lake TRAX line. It runs from the existing TRAX line at 6400 South to approximately 7400 South, then turns west along the Bingham Branch of the Union Pacific Railroad. At 5600 West, the line turns south again and ends at the southern end of the Daybreak development in South Jordan.

Construction started in May 2008, and was completed and opened to the public in August 2011.

Timeline

December 2011
From the December 2011 issue of Railfan & Railroad magazine:

Salt Lake City Expands Rail Mileage -- Light rail transit in Salt Lake City got a jump start as a result of the city hosting the Winter Olympics in 2002. At that time the light rail line from downtown south to Sandy went into revenue service. In early August 2011, two light rail extensions were opened on the same day a year early and 20 per cent under budget. Dubbed TRAX, the rail system has headed west from the original main stem.

Now known officially as the Green Line, the 5.1-mile, $370 million West Valley extension operates between the stations in West Valley and downtown. The Green Line will eventually continue west from Central Station to the city's international airport.

The new 10.6-mile, $535 million Mid-Jordan extension uses a key part of the original line to Sandy and adds nine stations to the rail service. The new line starts south and west of downtown at Daybreak Parkway, winds itself into the downtown area, and then heads east to the Utah Medical Center and the University of Utah. The two new extensions are expected to add a total of 14,000 daily riders when they first start service.

Construction is under way for the extension from downtown to the airport. The original line to Sandy is now the Blue Line and construction is proposed from Sandy south on what is called the Draper Line. Commuter rail service is also available from Ogden in the north to Provo in the south. Recently I saw a television travel program on Salt Lake City that focused on the light rail line as a symbol of progress. Many thanks to Philip Lavorgna for the interesting and highly positive news.

August 7, 2011
Service started on the UTA Mid-Jordan TRAX line on Sunday August 7, 2011.

August 2, 2011
Opening ceremonies were held for the Mid-Jordan Line, with free rides for the public, prior to the official opening on August 7.

The Mid-Jordan TRAX line operates over the existing Bingham Branch railroad corridor in a southwesterly direction branching off of the existing Sandy/Salt Lake light-rail line at the 6400 South TRAX station and extending west to 5600 West. From there, the line turns south toward Kennecott Land's new Daybreak development in South Jordan, Utah.

The following comes from Railway Age magazine:

Utah Transit Authority on Sunday launched its two newest TRAX light rail lines for revenue service, with UTA claiming both came in ahead of schedule and under budget at a combined $905 million. The $535 million, 10.6-mile Mid-Jordan line, reaching the Salt Lake City suburb of South Jordan, and the $370 million, 5.1-mile extension of the West Valley line, should bolster daily system ridership to 58,000 in short order, UTA says. UTA anticipates an additional 14,000 weekday riders on the two lines, added to the current daily ridership average of about 44,000. UTA also notes that its three lines, now running trains every 15 minutes during the weekdays, will offer some of its stations service every two-to-three minutes.

July 8, 2011
The Mid-Jordan Line was designated as part of the Red Line on July 8, 2011; the other portion of the Red Line was the University Line. (Salt Lake Tribune, July 9, 2011)

October 16, 2008
UTA began distributing new rail along the former D&RGW Bingham Branch. The new rail was to be used as part of the new light rail line, and the rail trains were being operated by Savage Binghamj & Garfield, the shortline operator that leased UTA's trackage for freight operations.

May 15, 2008
UTA held a groundbreaking ceremony for the 10.5-mile Mid-Jordan TRAX light-rail line. The nine-station line parallels the existing Bingham Branch Railroad from the 6400 South TRAX station southwest to the Sandy/Salt Lake station to south of Welby Junction. From there, the line runs south toward Kennecott Land's Daybreak development in South Jordan. (Progressive Railroading Daily News, May 15, 2008, "today")

October 29, 2007
UTA announced that the Federal Transit Authority had accepted the required environmental study for the construction of the 10.6 mile Mid Jordan Line, from Murray at about 6400 South on the existing TRAX line, west to Kennecott's Daybreak development at about 6000 West and 10100 South. The line is the former D&RGW Bingham Branch which UTA purchased from UP in March 2007. In May 2002, UTA had purchased access to the right of way, but the March 2007 sale was for the existing roadbed and tracks. UTA projected that the Mid Jordan Line would cost approximately $452 million, and would start service in about 2011. The announcement included UTA's selection of an engineering consortium to design and build the line. (Salt Lake Tribune, October 30, 2007)

August 2007
The Mid Jordan Line was projected to be completed in 2011. (Deseret Morning News, August 9, 2007)

December 22, 2006
Salt Lake County Commission approved the use of tax dollars to help build UTA's TRAX Mid-Jordan and Draper lines. (Deseret Morning News, December 22, 2006)

May 30, 2002
Approximate date for UP's sale of its Bingham Industrial Lead, Sugar House Industrial Lead, and Tintic Industrial Lead, all for future use by UTA as potential TRAX right of way. (STB Finance Docket 34170, dated May 22, 2002)

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