There may, however, be a light at the end of the tunnel. Using electric trains may be great for the environment, but if Salt Lake is truly serious about transit and sustainable travel options, support needs to be given to UTA to maintain and expand transit vehicles, stations and infrastructure. My hometown of Herriman has a 10% annual population growth, yet its new town center is devoid of buses and trains, leaving many commuters to drive. Light rail needs to be extended to population centers like those in Herriman and Taylorsville. In addition, the current TRAX system heavily serves the core of the valley along I-15, ignoring most East-West travel. Factoring in 15-minute intervals between trains, if I weren’t such a transit junkie, I would be driving every day. Taking the train takes on another 30 minutes, and mechanical failures can bring it up to an hour and a half. My drive to school takes me 30-35 minutes in normal traffic.
Despite the addition of new trains for the Red and Green line expansions in 2010, they seem to have constant maintenance issues, dragging out your commute. Bus bridges constantly plague trains too, promising delays of up to 30 minutes of precious time out of your commute.
When riding on TRAX, it’s not uncommon to find trash and soda spilled on the floor, and shoe marks all over seats. But if you have ever taken the train or bus before, you may be hesitant to try again, even with a monetary incentive.
Trax utah problem free#
The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) even offered “ Free Fare February” last month where all UTA services, buses, trams and trains, were completely free the entire month (including ski buses). Motor vehicles contribute to more than 50% of emissions in Salt Lake, poisoning the air we breathe. It’s not that the city hasn’t tried, the implementation of TRAX and Frontrunner trains contributed to fewer car trips per day before COVID-19, meaning less traffic congestion and shorter rush hours. Our state needs to get serious about sustainable public transportation. But as more people fill homes and jobs, cars flood the already crowded streets and sustainable travel options remain limited for Utahns. with much of that growth being centered in Salt Lake County. Utah is one of the fastest-growing states in the U.S. While owning a car is practically a requirement in Utah, in France it’s just another option. I didn’t have a car, but that wasn’t an issue. I found that getting around wasn’t a hassle - buses, trains and subways took me anywhere I wanted to go. That changed when I lived in France and Belgium for two years as an LDS missionary. However, the trains and even buses failed to connect me to friends, relatives, or any other destination on my list - and I never really thought much of it. The trip may have been longer, but I saved money on gas and helped improve air quality in the valley. When I began attending the University of Utah in 2017, I immediately realized that I didn’t want to drive from Herriman to Salt Lake and back every day, so I started commuting on the local TRAX.
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