Salt Lake City Intermodal Hub | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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General information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other names | Salt Lake Central | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Location | 600 West 300 South Salt Lake City, Utah United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 40°45′46″N111°54′30″W / 40.76278°N 111.90833°W | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Owned by | Utah Transit Authority (UTA) [1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Line(s) | Lynndyl Subdivision | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Platforms | 1 island platform (Amtrak) 1 island and 1 side platform (FrontRunner) 1 island and 1 side platform (TRAX) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Tracks | 6 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Connections |
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Construction | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Structure type | At-grade | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Bicycle facilities | Greenbike Bikeshare | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Accessible | Yes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Other information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Station code | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Fare zone | Free Fare Zone (UTA buses & TRAX) [6] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
History | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Opened | August 5, 1999 (Amtrak) [7] July 26, 2005 (Greyhound) [8] April 27, 2008 (UTA TRAX & FrontRunner) [9] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Passengers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
FY 2023 | 31,004 [10] (Amtrak) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Services | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Salt Lake City Intermodal Hub, also called Salt Lake Central station by the Utah Transit Authority (UTA), is a multi-modal transportation hub in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States served by the Blue Line of UTA's TRAX light rail system that operates in Salt Lake County and by the FrontRunner , UTA's commuter rail train that operates along the Wasatch Front with service from Ogden in central Weber County through Davis County, Salt Lake City, and Salt Lake County to Provo in central Utah County. Service at the intermodal hub is also provided by Amtrak (with the California Zephyr ), and Greyhound Lines, as well as UTA local bus service.
The Salt Lake City Intermodal Hub has several official addresses, depending on the service provider:
However, passengers for all services at the intermodal hub can be dropped off in the cul-de-sac at the west end of 300 South off 600 West.
The site of the hub is the former location of the Denver & Rio Grande Western Railroad (D&RGW) in Salt Lake City. This location housed the maintenance buildings, a roundhouse, and freight houses for the railroad. It also included D&RGW's original passenger depot prior to the construction of the 1910 depot on nearby Rio Grande Street.
The main hub building, along 600 West, opened in 2005. [14] This building consists of a rehabilitated D&RGW freight house, with a modern round-shaped addition on the south end. [15] The freight house originally extended further north, but was cut in half during the construction of the hub. The southern half became the main hub building, while the northern half was meant for rehabilitation as well. [16] This did not occur, and the northern half of the freight house was torn down in 2012. [15]
Until the 2010s, several large locomotive maintenance buildings remained on the west side of the railroad tracks. [17] This changed on October 22, 2018 when UTA broke ground on a new bus maintenance facility at the site, [18] which replaced the remaining D&RGW buildings on the west side of the tracks. Initially, the large circa 1900 boiler and engine shop was planned to be rehabilitated and used as a part of the new bus facility. [19] [20] However, the boiler and engine shop was torn down the following year, as a new building was more cost-effective and efficient. [21]
The railroad tracks at the western edge of the hub, originally built as the mainline of the D&RGW, now serve as the mainline for the Union Pacific Railroad. The FrontRunner line shares this rail corridor.
Salt Lake Central is the name of UTA portion of the Salt Lake Intermodal Hub and that is the station name used on all route maps and schedules (bus, the FrontRunner, and TRAX). [11] [12] The intermodal hub is in the Free Fare Zone of Downtown Salt Lake City which allows transportation patrons that both enter and exit bus or TRAX service within the Zone to ride fare free. [6] The intermodal hub is also located within the Quiet Zone, so all trains (including Amtrak's) do not routinely sound their horns when approaching public crossings within this corridor. [22] [23] Unlike most FrontRunner and TRAX stations, there is only a small Park and Ride lot in close proximity to Salt Lake Central. [11] [12]
There are also multiple UTA Bus service routes that include Salt Lake Central as one of their stops. Local bus service is provided to all areas of Salt Lake City, as well as a few other cities within Salt Lake County. Bus service is also provided to the Kimball Junction Transit Center in Summit County via High Valley Transit, where connections with Park City Transit can be made. [24] Previously UTA offered service from the hub to Park City via the PC-SLC Connect, but ended that service on December 11, 2022. [25]
The FrontRunner has 23 weekday Ogden–Provo round trips via Salt Lake City with five additional round trips between Ogden and Downtown Salt Lake City. Saturdays consist of 15 Odgen–Provo round trips. Trains operate hourly between approximately 5:00 am and midnight on weekdays (increasing to half-hour runs during morning and evening commutes), with slightly later service on Fridays. Saturdays consist of hourly runs between approximately 6:00 AM and 1:30 AM. As of 2022, the system does not operate on Sundays and some holidays. [26]
Formerly the FrontRunner provided service further north of Ogden, to Pleasant View, before that service was cut in 2018. [27]
Service by TRAX and the FrontRunner commenced on April 27, 2008, [9] with the opening ceremony on April 26 at 12:30 pm. Salt Lake Central is the northern terminus of the TRAX Blue Line and the former northern terminus of the Green Line. There is no direct connection at the hub with the Red Line, nor the Green Line (following its reroute to the Salt Lake City International Airport). The Blue Line provides service to Draper in southern Salt Lake County as well as connections with the Green and Red lines at other stations (with the Red Line providing service between University of Utah and the Daybreak Community in South Jordan in southwest Salt Lake County and the Green Line providing service from West Valley City to the Salt Lake City International Airport (via Downtown Salt Lake City).
The intermodal hub is served by the California Zephyr , which provides once-daily service to Emeryville, California (in the San Francisco Bay Area), to the west and Chicago, Illinois, to the east on Union Pacific trackage in both directions. (The next westbound stop is Elko, Nevada and the next eastbound stop is Provo.) [28] Amtrak's official listings (for train service) refer to the intermodal hub as Salt Lake City, UT (SLC). [13] Amtrak was the first tenant of the intermodal hub, constructing a "shack" (initially meant to be temporary) in 1999. [7] In addition to the California Zephyr, Amtrak offers its Amtrak Thruway connections with service to Boise, Idaho (including stops in Odgen and Twin Falls) and to Las Vegas, Nevada (including stops in Provo and St, George.) Service for both Amtrak Thruway routes is provided by Greyhound Lines.) [29] Amtrak's official listings (for bus service) refer to the intermodal hub as Salt Lake City, UT – Bus Station (SLB). [30]
Greyhound Lines provide bus service to points all across the United States. Some of its routes are operated in partnership with Amtrak's Thruway Motorcoach. The Greyhound station has been closed.
Other transportation companies that serve the hub include Mountain States Express. [31]
Greenbike [Note 1] is a bicycle sharing system (differentiated from bicycle rental) [33] within Downtown Salt Lake City operated by SLC Bike Share (affiliated with B-cycle). The Greenbike program is intended for short bicycle trips and allows members to pick up any of the available bicycles at any of the many docking stations and then drop it off at any docking station (does not have to be the same docking station where the bicycle was picked up). Greenbike offers 7-day and annual memberships, but 24-hour passes are also available for non-members. Greenbike members are allowed unlimited short trips, with a trip being defined as the time between when the bicycle is removed from a docking station and when it is returned to a docking station. However bicycles may be kept longer than 30 minutes between dockings for additional charges. [34] In addition, members can start a "new trip" immediately after returning the bicycle to any docking station. [32] The bicycles provided by Greenbike are equipped with GPS tracking system that records and provides the member with the miles ridden (and calories burned). Greenbike is seasonal and, depending on weather conditions, shuts down operations in November–December and starts up again in March–April. [32] Other Greenbike docking stations are located near the City Center, Gallivan Plaza, and Library stations.
Before moving to the intermodal hub in 1999, Amtrak trains provided service at the Union Pacific Depot at 400 West and South Temple, and in 1986 moved to the Rio Grande Depot at 300 South Rio Grande Street. Original plans did not have TRAX serving the intermodal hub, only Amtrak, Greyhound, the FrontRunner, and UTA buses. [35] However, by 2004, UTA decided to extend TRAX to the intermodal hub. [36] By 2005, a three-station extension from Arena to the intermodal hub was selected, and construction began in 2007. [37] [38]
Future expansion of the FrontRunner is anticipated to include service north to Brigham City and south to Payson. [39]
There have been studies regarding the feasibility of resuming Amtrak's Desert Wind and Pioneer routes. [40] [41] In 2022, the Federal Railroad Administration began a study to identify intercity passenger routes for further evaluation and funding. Out of the 15 routes identified, two routes that ran through Salt Lake City were featured. Included is a Los Angeles, California to Denver, Colorado; and a Seattle, Washington to Denver, Colorado route. Further evaluation and funding would be required to proceed with creating such routes. [42]
UTA eventually plans to relocate its nearby headquarters to a new building adjacent to the Intermodal Hub. This would coincide with redevelopment of the area between the Intermodal Hub and the Rio Grande Depot by the Redevelopment Agency (RDA) of Salt Lake City, a project known as Station Center. [43] Plans call for large amounts of new housing and office development, and in 2021 the University of Utah entered into an agreement with the RDA to acquire land in the Station Center project area for a satellite campus. [44] While current plans label the historic Rio Grande Depot as a "barrier to development" because of the way it blocks 300 South street, some citizens are calling for it to once again become the city's principal train station by diverting rail traffic along the still-existing 500 West right-of-way. [45] [46]
TRAX is a light rail system in the Salt Lake Valley of Utah, in the United States, serving Salt Lake City and many of its suburbs throughout Salt Lake County. The system's official name, Transit Express, is rarely, if ever, used. The system is operated by the Utah Transit Authority (UTA). All TRAX trains are electric, receiving power from overhead wires.
The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) is a special service district responsible for providing public transportation throughout the Wasatch Front of Utah, in the United States, which includes the metropolitan areas of Ogden, Park City, Provo, Salt Lake City and Tooele. It operates fixed route buses, flex route buses, express buses, ski buses, three light rail lines in Salt Lake County (TRAX), a streetcar line in Salt Lake City, and a commuter rail train (FrontRunner) from Ogden through Salt Lake City to Provo. UTA is headquartered in Salt Lake City with operations and garages in locations throughout the Wasatch Front, including Ogden, Midvale and Orem. Light rail vehicles are stored and maintained at yards at locations in South Salt Lake and Midvale. UTA's commuter rail equipment is stored and serviced at a facility in Salt Lake City. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 35,058,000, or about 134,600 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024.
Transportation in Salt Lake City consists of a wide network of roads, an extensive bus system, a light rail system, and a commuter rail line. Although Salt Lake City, Utah, is a traditionally car-oriented city, the rapidly growing public transit system has a high number of riders for a city of its size, and public transit is widely supported by its residents and businesses.
The Blue Line is a light rail line on the TRAX system in the Salt Lake Valley of Utah, in the United States, operated by the Utah Transit Authority (UTA). It is the first line of the TRAX system completed. The line opened on December 4, 1999, one year ahead of schedule after two years of construction. In addition to Salt Lake City, it also serves the communities of South Salt Lake, Murray, Midvale, Sandy and Draper. The line was known as the North/South Line or the Sandy/Salt Lake Line until color names were adopted for each TRAX line in August 2011. An extension of the line to Draper began service on August 18, 2013.
FrontRunner is a commuter rail train operated by the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) that runs along the Wasatch Front in north-central Utah with service from Ogden Central station in central Weber County through Davis County, Salt Lake City, and Salt Lake County to Provo Central station in central Utah County. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 3,736,600, or about 15,000 per weekday as of the third quarter of 2024.
Provo station is a train station in Provo, Utah. It is served by Amtrak's California Zephyr, which runs once daily between Chicago and Emeryville, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Planetarium station is a light rail station in Downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, in the United States, served by the Blue Line of the Utah Transit Authority's (UTA) TRAX system. The Blue Line has service from the Salt Lake Intermodal Hub in Downtown Salt Lake City to Draper. For several years before the Airport Extension was opened, it was also on the route of the Green Line.
Arena station is a light rail station in Downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, in the United States, served by the Blue Line and Green Line of the Utah Transit Authority's (UTA) TRAX system. The Blue Line has service from the Salt Lake Intermodal Hub in Downtown Salt Lake City to Draper. The Green Line has service from the Salt Lake City International Airport and to West Valley City via Downtown Salt Lake City.
Temple Square station is a light rail station in Downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, in the United States, served by the Blue Line and Green Line of the Utah Transit Authority's (UTA) TRAX system. The Blue Line has service from the Salt Lake Intermodal Hub in Downtown Salt Lake City to Draper. The Green Line provides service from the Salt Lake City International Airport to West Valley City.
Gallivan Plaza station is a light rail station in Downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, United States serviced by the Blue Line and Green Line of the Utah Transit Authority's (UTA) TRAX system. The Blue Line has service from the Salt Lake Intermodal Hub in Downtown Salt Lake City to Draper. The Green Line provides service from the Salt Lake International Airport to West Valley City.
Library station is a light rail station in Downtown Salt Lake City, Utah, United States serviced by the Red Line of the Utah Transit Authority's (UTA) TRAX light rail system. The Red Line provides service from the University of Utah to the Daybreak community of South Jordan.
Central Pointe station is a light rail station in South Salt Lake, Utah, in the United States, served by all three lines of the Utah Transit Authority's (UTA) TRAX light rail system. In December 2013, the station also became the western terminus for the S Line.
The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) operates two bus rapid transit (BRT) services along the Wasatch Front in Utah, United States. It is described by UTA as "light rail on rubber tires." As of July 2024, an additional one is under construction, two are planned, and one has been discontinued.
The Green Line is a light rail line on the Utah Transit Authority's (UTA) TRAX system in Salt Lake City, Utah, in the United States, operated by the Utah Transit Authority (UTA). It opened on August 7, 2011, and runs between Airport Station at the Salt Lake City International Airport and West Valley Central Station in West Valley City serving a total of eighteen stations: thirteen in Salt Lake City, one in South Salt Lake, and four in West Valley City.
West Valley Central station is a light rail station in West Valley City, Utah served by the Green Line of the Utah Transit Authority's (UTA) TRAX light rail system. The Green Line provides service from the Salt Lake City International Airport to this station.
Ogden Central station is a commuter rail train and bus station in Ogden, Utah, United States. It is served by the FrontRunner, Utah Transit Authority's (UTA) commuter rail train, the Ogden Express, a UTA bus rapid transit service, as well as UTA local and commuter bus service, and Greyhound Lines long-distance bus service.
Provo Central station is an intermodal transit station in Provo, Utah, United States. It is served by the Utah Transit Authority's (UTA) FrontRunner commuter rail line as well as local, intra-county, and interstate buses. It is the southern terminus of the commuter rail system, with service running north as far as Ogden. The station is also known as Provo Intermodal Hub, Provo Station, or Provo CRS. It is part of the FrontRunner South extension.
The Mount Timpanogos Transit Center was a staffed, open air bus transfer station in southeast Orem, Utah, United States. It functioned as both the Utah Transit Authority's (UTA) customer service center for Utah County, as well as a bus transfer center for UTA's buses in east central Utah Valley. Prior to the opening of the FrontRunner commuter rail extension south to Provo in 2012), it was the busiest bus stop within the entire UTA bus system.
Ogden Express (OGX) is a 5.3-mile (8.5 km) bus rapid transit (BRT) line in southern Ogden, Utah. United States. The line is operated by the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) and runs between Ogden Central station and the McKay-Dee Hospital, via Weber State University (WSU). OGX is the third of UTA's BRT lines along the Wasatch Front, and officially opened on August 20, 2023.
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