S Line (Utah Transit Authority)

at South 400 East in South Salt Lake, October 2016 While fairly similar to UTA's TRAX light rail the S Line operates at a substantially slower speed, with a top speed of . The S Line also differs from TRAX in that it has frequent stops for easy pedestrian access. Other differences are that the S Line operates with a single vehicle, rather than a "train" of vehicle. Because of its slower speed, most S-line at-grade road crossings do not have barrier arms that stop vehicular traffic. Instead, many streetcar crossings have traffic lights, while several are controlled by stop signs. Accordingly, the streetcars may be required to slow down or even stop prior to crossing roadways. (These road crossings also include crosswalks that parallel the tracks, and pedestrian traffic lights as well.) The fare for the S Line is the same as for TRAX and the same methods of payment (including the Farepay card) are accepted. S Line streetcar at the westbound stop of Fairmont station, October 2016 The S Line utilizes the same Siemens S70 cars used by the TRAX Red and Green lines. The decision to use the same car model resulted in substantial savings as it allows UTA to use the same maintenance facilities used for TRAX. However, Mayor Becker suggested that as the S Line evolves (Phase 2 and beyond) the cars used could move "toward a more traditional streetcar design". The cars used for the S Line have a silver and white color scheme, According to UTA, actual average weekday ridership stands at 1,335 per day. Most of the corridor for Phase 1 of the S Line includes a linear park. It also parallels a portion of Parley's Trail (which connects the Jordan River Parkway with the Bonneville Shoreline Trail and Parley's Canyon). == History ==

, October 2016 The rail line right-of-way used for the first operational section (Phase 1) of the S Line was originally built in 1900 by the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad (D&RGW) as the Sugar House Branch. Southern Pacific purchased the D&RGW properties, which in turn folded into the Union Pacific Railroad (UP). UTA purchased the right-of-way and the rail line in 2002 and UP officially abandoned the rail line in 2005. Federal funding for the project was applied for in 2009. Of the estimated $55 million project cost, Salt Lake City provided $2.5 million in funding and applied for $35 million in federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) funding. The project was granted $26 million TIGER II funding on October 20, 2010. Construction began on May 9, 2012. In late August 2013, UTA announced that the streetcar would be called the S Line According to UTA, "The S Line was named in honor of the streetcar's two founding cities, Salt Lake and South Salt Lake, as well as the Sugar House neighborhood it calls home." The streetcar plan was developed from an earlier proposal for a heritage trolley line which was begun in 2002. The original idea was reported in the Deseret News on May 16, 2003. However, at that time rail service was not projected to reach Sugar House before the year 2030. Since most of Phase 1 was built within the existing railway right-of-way, very minimal additional property acquisition was necessary. The integration of the S Line at Central Pointe station required the addition of a second passenger platform (a side platform) to be built just southeast of the existing island platform for the TRAX lines. Transfer between the two modes of transportation only requires a short walk between the two platforms, but the S Line platform is only accessible from the southern end of the TRAX platform. Although years in development, the S Line is the first streetcar line to operate in the state of Utah in over 50 years. A two-block section of the S Line, between 300 and 500 East, was double-tracked in early 2019 at a cost of $5.9 million to address frequency needs spurred by growing ridership. Double-tracking When the S Line opened in December 2013, the line was almost entirely single-tracked, with passing tracks at the 500 East station where the two cars typically operating on the line could pass each other. This layout enabled 20 minute frequencies on the line. In June 2017 it was announced that Salt Lake County would provide $4.5 million, and the federal government would provide $1.9 million through its Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program, to double-track the portion of the S Line from just west of the 300 East station, through to just east of the 500 East station, enabling improved 15 minute frequencies on the line. Construction began in June 2018, and was completed in April 2019. == Future plans ==

S-Line Extension Project In November 2023, UTA announced that construction on a extension to a new station on Simpson Avenue and Highland Drive. Alongside the extension, double tracking from the 500 East station would be extended to just before the 700 East station. Construction began in Summer of 2024, with service beginning around Spring 2026. Future Extensions The S Line was planned to be constructed in two phases. As part of a Phase 2, the S Line would extend beyond the Fairmont station . There were six different alignments considered, however the route for the further extension has been nearly finalized. The Phase 2 extension has the S Line continuing east from the Fairmont station to Highland Drive, then heading north (as Highland Drive becomes 1100 East) and ending immediately south of 1700 South. This route would provide service to Westminster College. Although there was substantial opposition to this recommended route for Phase 2, the objections were not focused on the initial section of Phase 2 along Highland Drive, but rather the section further north. Many are opposed the route continuing north along 1100 East and would rather see the streetcar continue east along 2100 South. Notwithstanding, city leaders have repeatedly indicated that many of the objections arise because of a lack of understanding regarding the differences between the S Line (streetcar) and TRAX (light rail). There still remains the possibility of further extensions beyond Phase 2, but none have yet to be specifically identified for official discussion. == Route ==

The S Line is designated as UTA Route 720. South Salt Lake , the western end of the S Line, December 2013 The S Line begins at the Central Pointe station, the streetcar portion of which is located at 193 West Utopia Avenue in the city of South Salt Lake, just south of (SR-201). (Central Pointe is also the southernmost station served by all three TRAX lines: Blue, Red, and Green). From this station the S Line heads south along the east side of the TRAX right-of-way until it turns east along the former D&RGW right-of-way at about 2230 South. Whether Sugarmont Drive is realigned or not, as part of Phase 2, the S Line will continue east along that street until the streetcar turns north along Highland Drive. Heading north, but slightly to the west, the S Line will run through the commercial district along Highland Drive until it reaches 2100 South. (At about 2150 South, Highland Drive curves from its north-northwest direction to head almost due north.) At East 2100 South, Highland Drive becomes South 1100 East. Heading north along 1100 East, the streetcar will pass by the ends of the following streets: the east end of Hollywood Drive (1970 South), the west end of a section of Ramona Avenue (1930 South), the east end of a section of Ramona Avenue (1910 South), the west end of a section of Westminster Avenue (1880 South), and the west end of East Garfield Avenue (1835 South). North of Ramona Avenue the streetcar leaves the commercial district and 1100 East has intermittent residential housing on both sides of the street. Continuing north along South 1100 East, the S Line will cross Blaine Avenue (1735 South) before reaching the northern border of the Sugar House neighborhood and the end of Phase 2 immediately south of 1700 South. Phase 2 will provide indirect service to Westminster College, the campus of which is just east of the end proposed S Line routing. (The campus of Westminster College occupies the entire area between 1200 East and 1300 East from 1700 South to 1850 South.) == Streetcar schedule ==

On weekdays the first eastbound S Line streetcar (to the Fairmont station) leaves Central Pointe station at 5:12 am and the first westbound car (to the Central Pointe station) leaves the Fairmont station at 5:27 am. The last eastbound streetcar leaves Central Pointe station at 11:27 pm and the last westbound car leaves Fairmont station at 11:42 pm. On Saturdays and Sundays, the first eastbound S Line streetcar leaves the Central Pointe station at 6:02 am and the first westbound car leaves the Fairmont station at 6:17 am. The last eastbound streetcar leaves Fairmont at 11:47 pm and the last westbound streetcar leaves Fairmont at 11:32 pm. S Line streetcars run every fifteen minutes every weekday (except holidays when there is no service), and thirty minutes on weekends like the TRAX system, and take about twelve minutes to run the length of the route (of Phase 1). == Stops ==

Just as UTA calls the vehicles used on this route "streetcars" instead of "trains", the line has "stops" instead of "stations". == See also ==