Draper TRAX Line testing to begin in February

SANDY — The Utah Transit Authority in February will begin testing trains on its new Draper TRAX Line, a 3.8-mile extension of the UTA Sandy-Salt Lake (Blue) Line from its current terminal at 10000 South in Sandy to Pioneer Road (12400 South) in Draper.

The Draper TRAX extension is being built in the UTA-owned rail corridor and will feature new stations at 11400 South, 11800 South and Pioneer Road. Rail and ties from the old freight rail line have been removed, with grading and a new double-track construction along the entire length of the project.

The Federal Transit Administration by the end of January plans to visit and review the site to ensure compliance with federal standards. Testing is then expected to begin in mid-February until the line officially opens in August.

Initial testing takes approximately six weeks when trains will begin moving down the track at a slow pace. Once all systems are working and communicating, train speeds will begin to gradually increase.

The power lines south of 11000 South are scheduled to be energized sometime in February — the lines north of 11000 South have been energized since August. Signs will be posted to warn residents of the change.

Following the early testing, operators will be trained, additional FTA reviews conducted, and testing with train schedules at full speed will be completed in anticipation of the August opening.