UTA previews new TRAX lines

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MURRAY — Under a steady drizzle and an unseasonably cold 40 degrees, about 30 people huddled on the 6400 South TRAX platform awaiting a dress rehearsal ride on the Utah Transit Authority's new Mid-Jordan line.

The Tuesday preview marked the beginning of UTA's end- to-end testing of the line going from Murray to the Daybreak development in South Jordan, as well as the new line to West Valley City.

Both will open to commuters Aug. 7, undoubtedly in much warmer weather.

"These new TRAX lines are going out into neighborhoods that have never had TRAX before," said UTA spokesman Gerry Carpenter. "So, there are going to be a lot of people who are trying them out for the first time."

The services' most noticeable new feature: no stairs on boarding. The new, low-floored Siemens S70 light rail vehicles have door-mounted, blue handicapped buttons. With a press, a steel ramp slides out from the car's floor, bridging the gap to the platform. The two-foot long ramp lies virtually even between the two surfaces.

On each car, two center doors have the ramp option while the two end doors do not.

These new TRAX lines are going out into neighborhoods that have never had TRAX before. So, there are going to be a lot of people who are trying them out for the first time.

–Gerry Carpenter

UTA has purchased 77 of the newly designed cars that will service the two rail lines, as well as the routes to the airport and Draper that are now under construction. That more than doubles UTA's light rail fleet.

The vehicles should make commuting much easier not only for passengers in wheelchairs, but also for those wielding strollers or hauling baggage, said Carpenter.

"If you have a double-wide stroller with four sets of twins, or whatever, it will be much easier," he said, joking.

Currently, those in wheelchairs must climb a ramp up to a "high-block" and navigate another ramp to board. Other passengers needing help don't have that option.

The light rail service now averages four to six wheelchair passengers per trip, said rail service project administrator Damon Blythe.

Another new feature is under-sidewalk heating at the end of each platform, making for safer wintertime access and less snow shoveling for UTA workers.

UTA projects that the two new lines will average 14,000 riders on opening and more than 30,000 once the Draper and airport service begins. TRAX now averages 44,000 riders per day.

The new Mid-Jordan trains, and their benefits, will travel up to the Medical Center Station at the University of Utah. The transfer point to the University line will switch from Gallivan Plaza to Courthouse station.

Constructors have already turned the Mid-Jordan line over to UTA, which only lacks parking lots, platform finishing and ticket vending machines, Carpenter said. And UTA will take official possession over the West Valley line at the end of May or early June.

UTA officials are especially concerned that pedestrians and drivers observe safety rules along the new routes, such as not stopping on the tracks or walking down them, he said.

"They move very quickly," Carpenter added. "They're very quiet, and people won't always know when they're coming."

The projects have come in under budget and ahead of schedule, UTA officials say. Together the two projects cost just over $900 million. Eighty percent of funding for the Mid-Jordan line came from the Federal Transit Administration, but the West Valley funding was 100 percent local.

UTA is projected to open the Airport and Draper TRAX lines in 2013, with the FrontRunner Provo to Salt Lake City extension expected to open in 2014.

Story written by Ladd Brubaker with contributions from Jed Boal.