S Line (Utah Transit Authority)
The S Line, or S-Line, is a public transit streetcar line in northeastern Salt Lake County, Utah, in the United States, that connects the business district of the Sugar House neighborhood of Salt Lake City with the neighboring city of South Salt Lake, as well as the Utah Transit Authority's TRAX light rail system. It is a joint project between UTA, Salt Lake City, and South Salt Lake. It opened for service on December 8, 2013. It is operated by UTA and is UTA's first streetcar line.
Name
Since the project began in 2006 it was referred to as the Sugar House Streetcar. However, 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." Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker stated, “The name both unites the communities, but also the corridor."Description
While fairly similar to UTA's TRAX light rail the S Line operates at a substantially slower speed, with a top speed of 25 mph. The S Line also differs from TRAX in that, for the most part, it only has a single track and it operates with more frequent stops for easy pedestrian access. Other differences are that the S Line operates with a single car, rather than a "train" of cars. Because of its slower speed, some 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. The fare for the S Line is the same as for TRAX and the same methods of payment are accepted.Initially, the S Line will utilize the same Siemens S70 cars used by the TRAX Red and Green lines. The decision to use the same car model will result 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 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, as opposed the red, white, and blue color scheme used by the rest of UTA's vehicles. Since the S Line is intended for shorter trips than TRAX it has more standing room and space for bicycles. Each car has a capacity of 60 people. Daily ridership was anticipated to be initially about 2,000 by the year 2030. 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.
All of UTA's TRAX and FrontRunner trains and stations, streetcars and streetcar stops, and all fixed-route buses are compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act and are therefore accessible to those with disabilities. Signage at the stations, on the passenger platforms, and on the trains and streetcars clearly indicate accessibility options. In accordance with the Utah Clean Air Act and UTA ordinance, "smoking is prohibited on UTA vehicles as well as UTA bus stops, TRAX stations, and FrontRunner stations".
History
The rail line right-of-way used for the first operational section of the S Line was originally built in 1900 by the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad as the Sugar House Branch. Southern Pacific purchased the D&RGW properties, which in turn folded into the Union Pacific Railroad. 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 funding. The project was granted $26 million TIGER II funding on October 20, 2010. Construction began on May 9, 2012 and the line opened for regular service on December 8, 2013, but free rides were offered the day prior.
Phase 1 of the S Line runs along the old D&RGW line from the Central Pointe TRAX Station in South Salt Lake to the commercial district of the Sugar House neighborhood of Salt Lake City near Highland Drive. 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 to be built just southeast of the existing island platform for the TRAX lines. Transfer between the two modes of transportation only requires a very 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. The initial length of the S Line was about. 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
Currently the S Line system is almost entirely single-track layout, but cars traveling in opposite directions can pass each other at both the 500 east and 300 east stops. 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 a portion of the S Line system. The system was double tracked between 300 east, and the current double tracking at 500 east. Construction began in June of 2018, and was completed in April of 2019.Future plans
Phase 2
The S Line was planned to be constructed in two phases. As part of Phase 2, the S Line will extend beyond the Fairmont stop. 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 stop to Highland Drive, then heading north and ending immediately south of 1700 South. This route will 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 and TRAX. 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.The route for Phase 1 has streetcars starting at both termini at the same time and then passing each other midway at the 500 East stop.
South Salt Lake
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.. 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.. With industrial buildings on both sides of the track, the streetcar continues east, crossing West Temple and Main Street. From the east side of Main Street, it runs down the median of a new east–west street until it reaches the South Salt Lake City stop at 2240 South Main Street. After that stop it continues east in the median until it reaches the east end of Central Pointe Place and then crosses State Street. East of State Street the route begins a stretch with residential housing on the north side of the tracks instead of industrial buildings. After crossing 200 East and then 300 East it immediately arrives at the 300 East stop at 2240 South 300 East. With industrial buildings once again to the north, the streetcar continues east, on the only double-track section, crossing South 400 East. Past 400 East the S Line arrives at the 500 East stop at 2234 South 500 East.Sugar House (Salt Lake City)
After crossing 500 East, the streetcar leaves South Salt Lake and enters the Sugar House neighborhood of Salt Lake City. The two S Line tracks then merge back to a single set. Continuing east, but now slightly to the north, it crosses 600 East and arrives at the 700 East stop at 2210 South 700 East. From that stop the tracks continue due east once again and cross 700 East. East of 700 East the route briefly follows along a former roadway, including an alleyway crossing, before reaching Lake Street. After crossing Lake Street the streetcar continues east, with another alleyway crossing, and crosses 800 East. Lake Street and 800 East are the other two of the three road crossings where vehicular traffic is only controlled by stop signs rather than traffic lights. Continuing further east it crosses 900 East. Immediately east of 900 East the S Line arrives at the Sugarmont stop at 2215 South 900 East. The streetcar also begins a stretch which runs east along the north side of Sugarmont Drive. At about 1010 east the tracks diverge once again before reaching the Fairmont stop, which is located immediately west of the south end of McClelland Street at 2216 S McClelland Street. The Fairmont stop is also located just north of Fairmont Park and southwest of the Granit Block. Fairmont stop is the last eastbound stop for Phase 1 of the S Line.From McClelland Street, Sugarmont Drive continues due east to Highland Drive at 1130 East and 2225 South. There is a proposal to realign this section of Sugarmont Drive to curve to the north to connect with Highland Drive at the west end of Wilmington Avenue. 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 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, the west end of a section of Ramona Avenue, the east end of a section of Ramona Avenue, the west end of a section of Westminster Avenue, and the west end of East Garfield Avenue. 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 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 of this route.
Streetcar schedule
On weekdays and Saturdays the first eastbound S Line streetcar leaves Central Pointe Station at 6:00 am and the first westbound car leaves Fairmont stop at 6:20 am. The last eastbound streetcar leaves Central Pointe Station at 9:00 pm and the last westbound car leaves Fairmont stop at 9:20 pm.On Sundays the first eastbound S Line streetcar leaves the Central Pointe Station at 9:20 am and the first westbound car leaves the Fairmont stop at 9:40 am. The last eastbound streetcar leaves the Central Pointe Station at 7:20 pm and the last westbound car leaves the Fairmont stop at 7:40 pm.
S Line streetcars run every fifteen minutes every weekday, and twenty minutes on weekends like the TRAX system, and take about twelve minutes to run the length of the route.