Salt Lake County Council backs citizen-led plan to move trains underground

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — The Salt Lake County Council has thrown its support behind an ambitious proposal to revamp downtown rail service and restore the historic Rio Grande station to its former glory.

The main focus of the plan, first proposed in 2020, is to move Union Pacific, FrontRunner and Amtrak rails below street level at 500 West in Salt Lake City - which would create seven new city blocks, do away with overpasses, and eliminate miles-long divide between the community and the city, where pedestrians have just a handful of options to legally and safely get from one side of the tracks to the other.

In a non-unanimous vote, the council endorsed the Rio Grande Plan, a citizen-led initiative aimed at improving heavy rail access to Salt Lake City's urban core.

The plan was developed by engineering group Via Rio Grande, which states in its original proposal:

The Rio Grande Plan proposes relocating all railroad tracks to a new underground structure called a ‘train box.’

With the necessary tracks moved underground, 75 acres of industrial land will be opened for development.

The railroad crossings, bridges, and freight yards that prevented growth will be replaced by seven new city blocks where thousands of new residents can live and work, all centered around the restored Rio Grande Depot.

The "train box" is essentially a trench that would house multiple train lines beneath the city and would run from 600 North to beyond 1300 South, as well as along North Temple, with the box connecting all lines to the Rio Grande Depot.

Currently, Amtrak and Frontrunner passengers disembark at Salt Lake Central Station, which is set a mile away from downtown amenities. It's a trip that takes up to 20 more minutes if commuters transfer to TRAX.

PREVIOUS REPORTS: Rio Grande Plan

• Rio Grande Plan proposal hopes to be new 'front door' into Salt Lake
  
• Salt Lake hopes to complete Rio Grande Depot rail plan in time for potential 2034 Olympics

"As we look forward to the Olympics returning, the revitalization of downtown, and rethinking the future of transportation, this proposal is timely and necessary," County Council Chair Laurie Stringham said in a statement.

Councilwoman Aimee Winder Newton motioned for preliminary support, urging consideration of the plan in future county transportation projects.

Councilman Arlyn Bradshaw, who represents downtown Salt Lake City, praised the proposal's thoroughness.

"It is rare that citizen-led proposals come to the Council so well researched and detailed, particularly transportation projects which are usually government led," he said in the statement.

A statement from the council issued Tuesday did not specify which of the council's nine members did not support the plan.

However, despite the council's endorsement, the plan still faces hurdles before implementation. Further studies and funding sources would need to be identified for the project to move ahead.

__________