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The newest extension of TRAX officially opens today!
UTA officials estimate 2,400 riders a day will use it to get to and from the University of Utah’s medical complex. If the past is an indication, though, the official projection will turn out to be low.
TRAX has proven to be an unqualified success!
When the main North-South line went into operation in 1999, officials had grandiose visions of as many as 14,000 riders getting on board each day. They were wrong – by a long shot! TRAX is averaging, not 14,000 riders per day, but more than 22,000.
Essentially, the same thing happened with the University line in 2001. A projected daily ridership of 4,100 quickly nearly doubled.
That is a success story, especially in view of the skepticism of many who opposed the development of rail-based mass transit in our area.
What’s happened so far bodes well for expansion of TRAX into other areas.
First up, though, is commuter rail north through Davis County. The environmental evaluation process should take about another year. With the securing of funding in the works, the highly anticipated line should be operational by 2007.
Based on the public response to TRAX and mass transit in general, KSL believes commuter rail is a success story waiting to happen.
