UTA has released two detailed service plans for public review and comment on its website. The changes are in response to the opening of two new rail lines – Mid-Jordan and West Valley – in August 2011.

Over the next two weeks, UTA will host eight public hearings throughout Salt Lake Valley to answer questions and take feedback on proposed service changes.  Formal comments may also be made on the agency’s website.

UTA first announced opening date for the Mid-Jordan and West Valley TRAX light rail lines in October 2010. The new lines will bring significant changes to the bus and rail lines in Salt Lake County, adding more than 9,000 new riders per day, significantly increasing transit service to the west side and to Southwest Salt Lake County. Since the announcement UTA has been working hard to get ready for the change.

In November, just one month after announcing the opening date, the agency  held a series of open houses designed to gather feedback from local residents to ensure that transit objectives are met in a way that accurately reflects the needs and desires of the community. Hundreds of comments were collected

UTA spent December, January and much of February analyzing the feedback and checking it with possible county-wide scenarios. The proposals have been narrowed down to two possibilities:

Scenario 1 –

• Maintains current frequencies of service on weekdays
• Slight reduction of weekend service (Saturday and Sunday)
• Realigns some route to meet TRAX
• Adjusted start and end times on some routes
• Eliminates some routes, converts others to flex routes that run a regular schedule
• Fast bus routes not eliminated would be reclassified as express routes and require premium fare.

Scenario 2 –

• Increases 15 min. service routes on weekdays
• Reduced Saturday service; no Sunday service except for TRAX
• Realigns some routes to meet TRAX
• Adjusted start and end times on some routes
• Eliminates some routes and converts other to flex routes that run a regular schedule
• Fast bus routes not eliminated would be reclassified as express routes and require premium fare

TRAX in both scenarios –

• Mid-Jordan TRAX would operate from Daybreak to University of Utah Medical Center
• West Valley TRAX would operate from West Valley Intermodal Hub to Salt Lake Central
• The existing Salt Lake/Sandy line will continue to operate between Sandy Civic Center and Salt Lake Central
• The University Line will be replaced by the Mid-Jordan line
• Weekdays: 15 min service from approximately 5 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• Saturday: 20 min service from approximately 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• Sunday: 20 min service from approximately 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Comments on the proposed service changes will be taken until March 31.