Salt Lake honored for 'transit turnaround'

Salt Lake City has received a top award from Sierra magazine for its TRAX light-rail line and plans for future transit expansion. The award is called the "Biggest Transit Turnaround."

Two other cities received top awards from the magazine, which has a circulation of about 1 million, according to Marc Heileson, regional representative in the Sierra Club's Utah office. Minneapolis, Minn. was honored for its recycling efforts, while Austin, Texas, was honored for being a leader in energy efficiency.

Heileson said Tuesday that being recognized by the magazine is a great honor. Salt Lake City, he said, is a leader in embracing mass transit.

"If it happened in Salt Lake City, you can do it everywhere," he said. "It's a western city. We grew up around the automobile and to have that type of city in the West and embrace transit, that is off the charts."

Since opening in 1999, Salt Lake City's TRAX line, which is operated by the Utah Transit Authority, has more than doubled ridership projections. Current ridership is about 58,000 a day.

Copies of Sierra magazine are now on newsstands, Heileson said. The cost is $2.95 per copy.