In anticipation of an upcoming $945 million, 10-mile-long light rail line, the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) has completed the project’s environmental review and is now seeking public input.
The light rail design was selected as the Locally Preferred Alternative, setting the stage for the future high-capacity transit option between southern Salt Lake County and northern Utah County. Called the Point of the Mountain Transit Project, the line would provide an affordable connection that reduces congestion and supports economic development along the corridor.
The project will connect the cities of Draper and Lehi, starting at an existing station with plans to develop new stops along the route. The preferred alternative outlines the need to build a new station platform at the first station and grade-separated structures for transit and active transportation use along the line.
The project’s alignment will make use of existing facilities, relocating or reconfiguring select structures to suit the rail’s needs. UDOT anticipates that it will widen roadways, install double-tracked transitways and transit-only center running lanes, rebuild stations and establish a local bus connection at the terminating station.
In addition, UDOT will build a full-service operations and maintenance facility on a nearly 11-acre plot of land in Draper. The facility will feature adequate trackwork to access the site, capacity for train layover of the full fleet outside the facility and parking stalls for employees. The site will provide essential maintenance services, as well as offer vehicle layover and storage, dispatch and maintenance-of-way support facilities.
Notably, the line will pass through a planned mixed-use development known as “The Point,” which will serve as a major stop along the proposed route. The department has already secured $75 million to kickstart the project’s first phase, featuring the development of an Innovative Mobility Zone. The zone would incorporate innovative technology-enabled solutions to streamline operations, including:
Autonomous shuttles.
Micro-transit services.
Bike share programs.
Partnerships with ride-share companies.
Photo by Qingju Wen from Pexels
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