Overview

See also: Frequently Asked Questions | Maps

May 2009 – One Year Under Construction

UTA, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC), Kennecott Land Company, and the cities of Murray, Midvale, West Jordan and South Jordan are active partners on the Mid-Jordan Light Rail Transit (LRT) Project.

The new light rail (TRAX) line will run down 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 (Fashion Place) TRAX station and extending west to 5600 West. From there, the line will turn south toward Kennecott Land’s new Daybreak development in South Jordan. A map of the project can be found by clicking here.

Then environmental study phase of the process was completed in July 2007. Two public comment periods were held in conjunction with the study, the first in Aug. - Sept. 2005 and the second in July – Aug. 2007. In September 2007, the FTA issued an official Record of Decision (ROD), which is an agreement between FTA and UTA to implement the mitigation measures required for the project. In November 2007, FTA approved a Letter of No Prejudice (LONP) for the Mid-Jordan Transit Corridor, which allowed UTA to proceed with the purchase of long lead materials items and limited construction activities, such as grading for corridor access, utility potholing, survey and relocation, construction of major fills, and construction of bridge abutments and walls necessary to support fills.

The FTA approved the project’s final funding package, called the Full Funding Grant Agreement, in January 2009. The agreement commits $428 million in federal money to the project. The project will also use some local matching funds made available as part of the sales tax increase passed by Salt Lake County voters in November 2006.

UTA officially broke ground and began initial construction activities on the Mid-Jordan line in May 2008. After the first year of construction, the project is approximately 30% complete. Construction is currently underway along the entire 10.6 mile corridor. Most of the first year’s work took place at Kennecott Land’s Daybreak development. Early completion of this section will allow UTA to begin testing the new low-floor TRAX vehicles that will service the line. Significant work has also taken place along the Old Bingham Highway with new track laid in the area. Over the next year, work will progress on the construction of future station sites as well as installation of noise barriers along the line. Construction of several new rail bridges and upgrades to crossings on the line will also progress. Construction is expected to be completed in 2011-2012. For information on current construction activity on the Mid-Jordan line or to sign up to receive construction updates via e-mail, click here.