Frequently Asked Questions

1. When will TRAX be coming to Draper?
   
   The Draper transit corridor is currently in the environmental study phase, a key step in the process for securing the federal grants needed to build a light rail extension further south into Sandy and Draper. Once this process is complete and funding has been secured, UTA will begin construction work on the new line. Although a timeline for completion has not yet been established, the new extension is expected to be complete and in service no later than 2015.
   
   
2. Has the TRAX alignment already been determined?
   
   No. Although a locally preferred alignment has been selected, until the environmental study has been completed, submitted to and approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration (FTA), the route alignment and transportation mode are not final. Several possible alignments have been evaluated by the project team: 1) west of I-15, 2) along State Street, and 3) the existing UTA-owned right-of-way. After extensive study, the project team selected the UTA-owned right of way as the preferred alternative to be studied in detail in the Environmental Impact Statement. Subsequently, the Wasatch Front Regional Council, Salt Lake County’s metropolitan planning organization, formally adopted the UTA-owned right-of-way as a the locally preferred alternative and identified a minimum operable segment (MOS) extending from 10000 South in Sandy to 124000 South in Draper as the first phase of the financially constrained plan. In preparation of the Environmental Impact Statement, an Alternatives Analysis report was released in May 2009.
   
   
3. When will the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) be completed?
   
   The draft EIS is expected to be completed in Summer/Fall 2009 and the revised final EIS completed in Fall/Winter 2009.
   
   
4. When will I be able to comment on the EIS?
   
   A public comment period and public open house will take place in conjunction with the release of the draft EIS. The document will be made available for review on this website and at public locations in the community. During the public comment period, the public will be invited to comment in writing via the Internet, mail or in person at the public open house. 
   
   
5. What is the Draper Line Community Involvement Committee?
   
   The Draper Community Involvement Committee (CIC) is a committee is comprised of seven residents of Sandy or Draper who have a shared focus on the Draper Line and represent a broad range of perspectives regarding the project. The primary goals of the committee are to 1) work with the project team to understand how the environmental study process ultimately defines the final transit project, 2) objectively discuss proposed transit project alternatives and the related impacts of those alternatives, 3) discuss the environmental analysis process and how impacts are addressed, and 4) bring community issues and concerns to the project team and share information back to the communities.    
   
   
6. What will happen to the bike trail if TRAX follows the UTA right-of-way?
   
   The trail will be preserved should a TRAX extension be built along the UTA-owned right-of-way. The right-of-way is typically wide enough to accommodate a double-track light rail system and a pedestrian-bicycle trail, though the trail may need some realignment based on final track design. The trail currently exists because of a provisional lease agreement between UTA and Draper.
   
   
7. Can noise be successfully mitigated?
   
   In areas where allowable noise thresholds are exceeded, special mitigation measures can be used to suppress and reduce noise to levels to meet acceptable ranges as prescribed by the Federal Transit Administration. In the EIS, UTA will conduct a detailed noise analysis. Once the impact analysis is completed, any areas where noise exceeds acceptable standards will receive special treatment to reduce or eliminate the impact where feasible and reasonable
   
   
8. How can I find out more about the project?
   
   For more information on the Draper Transit Corridor Project, please visit our project publications page here. Those interested in learning more about the project may sign up for UTA’s mailing list to receive updates on project milestones, public meetings and presentations by clicking here.
     

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