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MURRAY — Local, state and federal leaders believe a new bus rapid transit system linking three cities in the Salt Lake Valley may prove to be one of the "backbones" of future transit expansion.
Some initial construction of Utah Transit Authority's Midvalley Express began this spring, but more visible construction on roads is expected to pick up in the coming months as crews build a new 7-mile line linking Murray, Taylorsville and West Valley City.
Construction will continue into 2025 and 2026 before the line is up and running by the fall of 2026. A bus rapid transit system is similar to light-rail service but with electric buses instead of rail cars — and at a cheaper capital cost.
"Any transit project is really a culmination of years of planning and financing, and to get it to this point and to be under construction, is a huge (moment). ... It's really a victory," said Carlton Christensen, chairman of UTA's board of trustees, following a ceremony with local, state and federal leaders Wednesday.
Planning for the new bus rapid transit system dates back nearly 20 years. UTA, the Utah Department of Transportation, Salt Lake County, Murray, Taylorsville reached an agreement in 2008, to plan out a system that would run from Murray Central Station and the Salt Lake Community College campus in Taylorsville.
However, as those plans progressed, the involved entities agreed that the plan only felt like half of a route. West Valley City was brought into the discussions nearly a decade ago, extending both the line and the time for the project to be completed, and expanding the estimated cost.
The project that's now underway is expected to cost about $100 million, but federal funds are slated to account for almost two-thirds of the price following funding requests led by Utah Rep. Burgess Owens. The cost includes the construction of a route on the side of the roads to offer 15-minute service once the system is operational.
Christensen said he sees many benefits emerging once the line opens. First, it will follow the pattern of the Utah Valley Express and Ogden Express — the two other bus rapid transit systems UTA operates — to service a campus. That has helped both become two of the most-used bus routes along the UTA system, attracting millions of riders over the past few years.
It can also help people living in West Valley City and Taylorsville get faster access to UTA's FrontRunner station in Murray, or get Intermountain Health employees to work at its Murray campus.
"We expect MVX to show a strong success, as well," he said.
On top of that, UTA plans to use the system as a part of its transit plan for the 2034 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, now that Salt Lake City is officially the host of the global event. The line will connect FrontRunner with the Maverik Center, a planned venue for the Games. It will also get people closer to the Kearns Oval, where they can connect with additional services to get to that venue.
And that's just the beginning. Utah Sen. Wayne Harper, R-Taylorsville, said the line ultimately serves as a key link between FrontRunner and some of the future transit options within the west and southwest edges of Salt Lake County. That could help reduce congestion as the county and region continue to grow.
It would add to a growing line of options throughout the Wasatch Front.
"To me, the (bus rapid transit) is very essential," Harper said. "This is one of the backbones to make that happen. ... This is very important."
