'Bus Rapid Transit' coming soon to 3500 South

SOUTH SALT LAKE — "TRAX on rubber tires" is coming to 3500 South this summer.

The Utah Transit Authority offered the media a sneak preview of its new "Bus Rapid Transit" (BRT), nicknamed "MAX," at the TRAX Millcreek Station last week.

UTA's BRT service will officially begin Monday, July 14, going from the Millcreek TRAX station at 3300 S. 210 West to 8400 West in Magna. The bus route will cover 10 miles.

The $7 million Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project along 3500 South is a way to provide faster, prioritized bus service in specific corridors. It uses technologies like signal prioritization and dedicated lanes to provide fast, efficient and dependable bus service.

MAX is also proof that UTA isn't just focused on north-south transportation.

UTA is also going to look at adding MAX in the area around Brigham Young University in Provo and eventually south Davis County, if it proves as successful as hoped for.

"This is just the first phase," said Carrie Bohnsack-Ware, UTA spokeswoman. "It's a cross between TRAX and bus service."

While TRAX is great for speed and promptness, its infrastructure is very expensive. MAX has few such costs.

She said UTA believes it will shave 25 percent off the travel time between the TRAX station and Magna. That's 45 minutes in actual travel time for the entire route. The MAX bus will run at least every 15 minutes.

UTA board president Orrin T. Colby said maybe someone could drive the MAX route quicker — unless he or she hit a traffic jam.

He also believes MAX will likely go into south Davis County, instead of light rail.

Bohnsack-Ware said said some adjacent routes near MAX will be reduced, but not eliminated, when the new service begins.

UTA estimates some 1,500 riders will use the MAX system on a daily basis. The 3500 South line is planned to run about 10 miles from Magna Main Street to the TRAX station at 200 West and 3300 South.

The fare on the MAX BRT line will be the same as bus and TRAX service, currently $1.75. However, riders will pay for their fares at ticket vending machines at stations. They do not have to show tickets to a MAX driver. UTA police officers will randomly check for fares, like they do on TRAX.