In an effort to improve air quality, UTA is offering 15-minute weekday service on route 500 to the Utah State Capitol during the legislative session. This “Capitol Connector” service will run Monday through Friday from Jan. 22 to March 9, providing riders with convenient connections from FrontRunner and TRAX. The extra service is designed to reduce parking congestion on Capitol Hill and encourage those attending the session to leave their cars at home and ride public transit during inversion season.

Plan your trip to the Capitol here, or see the extra route 500 service schedule and route map here.

“We know the Capitol is a busy place during this time of year, and we know air quality is a big concern,” UTA President/CEO Jerry Benson said during Wednesday’s Capitol Connector kickoff outside the state capitol. “[This] is a key service that provides those who will be traveling here during the session with the chance to join our riders in improving air quality.”

Route 500 is located in UTA’s Free Fare Zone. Riders transferring from FrontRunner or the TRAX Green Line at North Temple can use their train ticket as bus fare. The service connects to all TRAX lines at Courthouse Station and to FrontRunner at North Temple Station, allowing riders to make an easy connection from light rail and commuter rail.

Chair of the legislature’s transportation committee, Rep. Kay Christofferson, called on lawmakers to leave their cars at home and try public transportation.

“I’m happy to see UTA is partnering with so many great entities to make it easier than ever to get up to the Capitol this year,” Christofferson said. “I encourage my fellow legislators to give the Capitol Connector service a try, even if it’s just once in a while during the session.”

Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce President Lane Beattie thanked UTA for helping improve air quality.

“We can’t solve air quality issues and quality of life issues without UTA,” Beattie said. “To UTA I say thank you for the job you do and for constantly be looking at better ways to do things. Thank you, UTA for making Utah a great place to work, live and breathe.”

Adding extra service for the legislative session is just one of the ways UTA is working to improve air quality along the Wasatch Front. In December, UTA partnered with the Salt Lake City Council and Salt Lake County Mayor’s Office to offer a free fare day and encourage new riders to try public transportation.

“We’ll continue to work with our communities and our leaders to find opportunities to add service and encourage more people to use transit,” Benson said. “UTA provides nearly 160,000 rides each weekday, and we’re we are proud to help so many of our friends and neighbors get to where they need to go, we recognize the need for more service and more access to transit. We are committed to work with community leaders to find ways to meet these demands, allowing us to continue to be an active partner in maintaining our region’s high quality of life.”