Residents of Salt Lake City's west side are accusing the city and the Utah Transit Authority of bowing to the influence of a powerful developer to move the route for the airport TRAX line west into neighborhoods, and away from The Gateway mall.
Last October, Boyer Co., which owns much of The Gateway, donated $10,000 to a campaign aimed at getting voters to approve a tax increase for new TRAX light-rail lines and commuter rail. The campaign was organized by a group of downtown business owners that called itself the 2015 Transportation Alliance.
Voters approved the increase last November, and four new TRAX lines — including the airport line — are currently being prepared for construction.
Residents say shifting the airport line west would hurt views from their homes, increase traffic and crime, and contribute to perceptions that physical and sociological barriers exist between Salt Lake City's west side and downtown.
"The whole thing just stinks of a back-room deal," said west-sider Tony Nisson in an interview Thursday.
UTA and Boyer officials say no deals have been made, although both the agency and the company prefer moving the airport route from 400 West to 600 West.
If the line runs down 600 West, the route would connect with UTA's intermodal hub, where Amtrak, Greyhound and other TRAX lines are all planned to stop, UTA said. Boyer officials worry that the 400 West option would increase traffic and limit access to The Gateway, according to company president Jake Boyer.
The Gateway is bordered on the east by 400 West, and North Temple to the north. The current plan calls for TRAX to run down both streets.
"Whether you're coming to The Gateway or not, it's not good for 400 West," Boyer said.
Since 1999, the line has been planned to run north down 400 West from the Arena Station, then turn west and link to the airport via North Temple. But earlier this year, UTA and a team of consultants began studying whether to move the airport TRAX route from 400 West to 600 West. The study was prompted by new downtown developments such as construction of the Gateway and UTA's commuter-rail line.
UTA has already given its preliminary endorsement to the 600 West option, which would take the TRAX line north from the intermodal hub to connect with North Temple. Boyer also likes the 600 West option, as does the downtown Salt Lake City community council.
"I don't think we're exerting influence," Boyer said. "I think The Gateway is an important economic engine for downtown. ... We're not trying to cause harm or discomfort to any neighbors."
Property owners along 600 West disagree.
Ernie Willmore, development director for the Bridge Investment Group, is worried about increased traffic along 600 West and blocked visibility from homes. If the TRAX line is run along 600 West, UTA would need to build a bridge to move the rail line over Union Pacific and commuter-rail lines that run near South Temple.
The bridge could be as high as 35 feet, and would stretch along 600 West from 100 South to North Temple.
"That's a big structure that will be one more divisive element that separates the central business district from people on the west side," Willmore said.
Willmore's company is building a four-story, 295-unit condominium complex along 600 West, right where the TRAX line would run and the bridge built. Willmore is concerned the bridge will be high enough that train riders could look into condo windows.
UTA spokesman Chad Saley admits there are few differences in terms of cost and travel times between the 400 West and 600 West alignments. But his agency is leaning toward the 600 West option, because it would connect to the hub and create fewer traffic problems than 400 West.
When asked whether UTA was influenced to favor moving the TRAX route by Boyer Co.'s $10,000 donation, Saley gave conflicting answers. "I guess you could say that," he said. "It seems like it's kind of a stretch, but obviously the referendum helped us."
Later, he said: "There is no conflict," and described a lengthy study process that UTA uses to determine where to build a rail line.
"Someone giving money to a (ballot) referendum has nothing whatsoever in deciding our alignment," Saley said.
Jon Robinson, a resident along 600 West, believes UTA should study other alternatives. "I think there's a better way to manage this," Robinson said about the route adjustment.
One possibility is to rebuild the North Temple viaduct and run TRAX down the center of the structure. The viaduct, which carries North Temple over the Union Pacific rail tracks, begins at 400 West and ends at 600 West. A station could be built on top of the viaduct, with stairs leading underneath to connect with commuter rail, which will run just under the bridge.
On Sept. 12, the Salt Lake City Planning Commission will have a public hearing about the route adjustment. No recommendations are expected until October, after which the Salt Lake City Council must decide whether to approve moving the route for the airport TRAX line.
UTA will also accept public comments about the route change until it makes a decision about the issue. Comments can be submitted at: www.rideuta.com, or by calling: 743-3882.
E-mail: nwarburton@desnews.com