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- UTA warns TRAX riders of 15- to 45-minute delays due to maintenance beginning on Saturday.
- Repairs on Main Street and 500 South affect all three TRAX lines.
- Bus bridges will operate; construction causes noise and traffic impacts are also possible through May 9.
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah transit officials are warning TRAX riders to prepare for a week of major delays on all three of its lines as crews carry out maintenance work along a critical section of the track in Salt Lake City.
Construction work to repair the rail crossing by Main Street and 500 South is scheduled to begin on Saturday, May 3, causing large impacts to the full TRAX system as the Blue, Green and Red lines all share that section of the line. Delays of up to 15-45 minutes across all lines are possible until service returns to normal on Saturday, May 10, according to the Utah Transit Authority.
Throughout the closure, bus bridges will be set up for all three lines:
- Blue and Green: A bus will run between the Gallivan Plaza and Ballpark stations, providing service to the Courthouse, 600 South, 900 South stations along the way.
- Red: A bus will run between the Library and Ballpark stations, providing service to the Courthouse, 600 South, 900 South stations along the way.
The agency set up signs at all the stations, posted about it on social media and even put warnings on its online schedule to get the word out before the closure, said UTA spokesman Gavin Gustafson. Although rail maintenance projects are common, there's a larger focus on this one because it's a rail section used by all three lines.
"Certainly, the fact that it's going to affect all three lines, it's triply important to get the word out and let people know what to expect," he said. "We've still got everybody covered. We'll still be able to get people from A to B."
The rail section has reached the end of its service life, which causes all sorts of trouble if it's not repaired, Gustafson explained. Repairs aim to protect the service life of the trains while improving the quality for riders.
Once construction begins, riders traveling from one end of the bus bridge to the other will likely experience the longest delays.
Crews will be working around the clock to get the line operational again, but that also means residents could deal with noise, lighting, dust and vibration impacts at all times during the closure, UTA officials add.
The construction is also expected to impact traffic at the Main Street intersection with 500 South. Lane shifts and work zones are planned during the TRAX closure, although there will still be access in and out of businesses like the Grand America and Little America hotels.
More information can be found on UTA's website.
