WEST VALLEY CITY — Light-rail planners are seeing lines on maps a little clearer these days.
The goal in two upcoming meetings is to see what people think about those lines, specifically more than $400 million worth of light rail and possibly bus rapid transit lines.
On April 17, the Utah Transit Authority, Wasatch Front Regional Council and the engineering consultants URS will meet in West Jordan, and the following day in West Valley. They'll be looking for suggestions on the Mid-Jordan and the West Valley City-Taylorsville transit corridors.
"This hasn't gone to the public yet," said Mark McGrath, Taylorsville community development director.
"This is the first time they'll see any hard proposals."
For the Mid-Jordan line, the most up-to-date options include one of four lines that connect to the existing Sandy line just east of I-15 at either 6400, 7200, 7720 or 9000 South.
All of those options extend west and south, ending at the future Sunrise Development, being developed by Kennecott Development Co. If completely built out, Sunrise would essentially become another city on 4,200 acres with 40,000 residents, located south of 10200 South and west of 4000 West. Sunrise planners are still in the design phase.
The Mid-Jordan line incorporates input from West Jordan, South Jordan and Midvale. Those three cities are part of a larger alliance that includes West Valley and Taylorsville, all working to bring light rail to the west side of the Salt Lake Valley.
Separately, West Valley and Taylorsville, along with the UTA, are working on options in their own corridor.
There are now several options for a line linking the existing 2100 South station to Valley Fair Mall, on the southeast corner of 3500 South and 2700 West in West Valley. Another possibility may be to make almost a straight shot across the valley from the existing 3300 South rail station to the mall.
From the mall, Taylorsville is eyeing three extension alternatives — two have a line running to Salt Lake Community College and one ends at 5400 South and 2700 West, future site of City Hall and possibly a commercial development.
Questions in West Valley are how close a light-rail line should come to major destinations like Decker Lake Business Park and the E Center. And where, officials want to know, would light rail have the least impact while offering riders the best options?
"The more citizen involvement you have the earlier in the process, the better your chances of having the kind of successful project you want to have," said Jeff Hawker, West Valley's light-rail coordinator.
Already, Hawker said, residents are showing an "overwhelming" interest in bringing light rail to their city. This change of heart from before light rail existed in the Salt Lake Valley has also hit Taylorsville.
"I think everybody agrees now that (rapid transit) is the future," McGrath said. Even bus rapid transit lines are being considered.
A bus line could link an existing 3900 South light-rail station to Salt Lake Community College in Taylorsville. The light-rail extension options being considered for Taylorsville could just as easily be rights-of-way for bus rapid transit, McGrath said.
The April 17 meeting for the Mid-Jordan corridor will be held at West Jordan City Hall, 8000 S. Redwood Road, 4-8 p.m. The April 18 meeting to discuss the West Valley City-Taylorsville corridor is at West Valley City Hall, 3600 S. Constitution Blvd. (2700 West), 4-8 p.m.
E-mail: sspeckman@desnews.com