New TRAX station coming in summer near 850 S. in Salt Lake

A new TRAX station, on 200 West between 900 South and 800 South, will be part of the north-south light-rail line by late July or early August, Utah Transit Authority officials say.

And another new station, at 9400 South in Sandy, could be part of the system within the next year.

Construction of the $1.2 million 900 South station, to be paid for by the Salt Lake City Redevelopment Agency, will begin in March and be completed in late June or early July. UTA crews will then test the station for several weeks before putting it on-line.

"What we're trying to do is support Salt Lake City's efforts, and their RDA's efforts, to re-establish that neighborhood and put more low-income housing, etc., in that neighborhood," said Jeff Harris, UTA's deputy chief of asset management and business development.

"We think that neighborhood would benefit from a TRAX station. It just adds an enhancement to the neighborhood down there and provides a transportation alternative for them."

Having a station at 900 South always has been in the plans, and environmental work on the site was included in the original environmental work for the north-south line, Harris said. That means there is already room — now a grass-filled median — for a passenger station in between the two tracks, so the construction process will be relatively simple.

Harris said UTA anticipates no major disruption in service while the station is being built. At most, he said, there could be delays of a minute or two for some trains. And once operational, the station stop will add only about 30 seconds to the travel time between Salt Lake City and Sandy.

David Oka, executive director of the city's RDA, said the station should be a welcomed addition to the area.

"A few years back, we met with a lot of the residents in the neighborhood, and perhaps their biggest concern was that many of them don't have cars and therefore they have to rely on public transportation," Oka said. "And near the top of their list was a TRAX station, because what it does is increase the range of their influence for health-care services, for shopping, for basic needs. It's just one of those great quality-of-life enhancements."

Oka said he expects more low-income housing to be built in the area, but so far only one project — with about a dozen units — is in the works.