Fresh Look Transit Study

The Transit Fresh Look is an effort for communities and agencies to coalesce behind a desired and feasible transit future for Southwest Salt Lake County and Northwest Utah County.

The effort is utilizing a process that is distinct from previous efforts. We’re going beyond the traditional criteria analyzed in transit studies and asking the question, what would it take? Is there political will we can gather, are there land use levers we can modify. We’re looking at various funding mechanisms besides just federal funding.

The Transit Fresh Look is focusing on major regional public transit improvements as a companion to other near-term efforts that are identifying ways to more immediately meet pressing transit needs in the area.

Project Area

The area included in this effort is southwest Salt Lake County and Northwest Utah County, including: South Jordan, West Jordan, Riverton, Herriman, Bluffdale, Lehi, Saratoga Springs, and Eagle Mountain.

Four different alternatives were evaluated by costs and benefits. The analysis was organized into three main categories: operational efficiency, financial health, and community benefits. Operational efficiency metrics included service provision and performance. Financial health metrics included the relative costs and revenue considerations. Community benefits metrics included social equity and economic opportunity.

Partners

This is a joint effort led by a partnership of the following:

Cities

South Jordan
West Jordan
Riverton
Herriman
Bluffdale
Lehi
Saratoga Springs
Eagle Mountain

Transportation

Utah Transit Authority (UTA)
Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT)
Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC)
Mountainland Association of Governments (MAG)

Other Stakeholders

State Legislators
Chambers
The Point/POMSLA
Jordan School DIstrict
Alpine School District
Larry H. Miller Company
Rio Tinto
Third Cadence
Camp Williams
Olympics Hills/Shoreline
University of Utah
Salt Lake Community College
Suburban Land Reserve
Utah League of Cities and Towns (ULCT)

The Partnership Committee is made up of local elected officials, city staff, local business and legislative stakeholders, with the transportation partners of UDOT, UTA, MAG, and WFRC.

The Technical Advisory Committee is made up of city staff from planners to engineers.

The firm Kimley-Horn has been selected by these communities and organizations to assist the effort.

Representatives of Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC), Mountainland Association of Governments (MAG), Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), and Utah Transit Authority (UTA) are overseeing the work of the consultant team.

Project Goals

Project Progress

April 2024 – Kickoff meetings, one in Salt Lake County and one in Utah County. During these kickoff meetings, the stakeholders drafted goals and metrics.

July 2024 – Partnership and Technical Advisory Committees met and finalized project goals, metrics, and began drafting priority corridors.

August 2024 – The transportation partners met with each city council in the study area to provide an overview of the study.

September 2024 – Partnership and Technical Advisory Committees met to review the first draft of priority corridors based on the project’s goals and metrics. Priority corridors were refined during this meeting and will continue to be modified through the coming months.

November 2024 – This upcoming meeting for the Partnership and Technical Advisory Committees will look at mode selection for the identified priority corridors. The Partnership Committee will make preliminary decisions about the corridors they want to advance.

January 2025 – The transportation partners will go back to the city councils and provide an update on the work completed so far.

Studies That Are Informing the Transit Fresh Look Study:

Contact

For more information please contact Lauren Victor at lauren@wfrc.org, Ted Knowlton at ted@wfrc.org, or Kendall Willardson at kwillardson@mountainland.org.