The Utah Transit Authority Lands a $62.8 Million Federal Grant for a 7-Mile, 15-Stop Cross-Valley, Bus Rapid Transit Line in Salt Lake County

The $62.8 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration will cover ~60% of the total to fund the expected $104.1 million cost to build / launch the UTA's new BRT line.

Plus, the FTA grant will also cover the cost for all Midvalley Express BRT riders for the first five years of operation.

The state of Utah is about to get its third bus rapid transit line, its first traversing Salt Lake County, due in large part to a $62.8 million grant from the federal government.

Specifically, according to a recent announcement from the Federal Transit Administration, the $62.8 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation's FTA to the Salt Lake City-based Utah Transit Authority will cover approximately 60% of the $104.1 million projected cost to complete the UTA's new Midvalley Express BRT line designed to transport passengers from Murray to Taylorsville, with state funds handling roughly $41.3 of the required monies.

According to the UTA, construction on the 7-mile, 15-stop Midvalley Express BRT line began this summer and is expected to be completed in 2026.

End points for the Midvalley Express BRT are the UTA's West Valley Central Station (at 2750 W. Lehman Ave. in West Valley City, Utah, on the west side of Salt Lake County) and its Murray Central Station (at 5144 S. Cottonwood St. in Murray, Utah, on the east side of Salt Lake County).

By terminating at the West Valley Central Station and the Murray Central Station, the Midvalley Express BRT will enable riders to easily transition to/from the TRAX Green Line in western Salt Lake County and the TRAX Red and Blue Lines, respectively, in eastern Salt Lake County.

This means that all Midvalley Express BRT riders are within a short walk, or a short ride, to also connect with UTA's 83-mile Frontrunner commuter rail system that stretches from downtown central Ogden City in Weber County on the north to the southern end of Provo City in Utah County.

The Midvalley Express BRT will be supported by a fleet of 10 new all-electric buses and will utilize signal prioritization along the route, including a 1.4-mile stretch of bus-only designated lanes on 4500/4700 South from Atherton Drive on the east to Redwood Road on the west.

According to a Taylorsville City news release,

"Key destinations along the (Midvalley Express BRT) route include Intermountain Medical Center in Murray and Salt Lake Community College in Taylorsville."

The Midvalley Express BRT will be the UTA's third bus rapid transit line, the other two being

• The 5-mile long Ogden Express BRT (which bifurcates Ogden, Utah to connect Weber State University to the east and UTA's Frontrunner station in downtown Ogden), along with
• The 10-mile long Utah Valley Express BRT (which stretches from the UTA's Frontrunner Station in west Orem, Utah eastward past Utah Valley University to the east side of the Brigham Young University campus in Provo, Utah before connecting with the UTA Frontrunner Station in the southern part of downtown Provo).

According to Jay Fox, Executive Director of the Utah Transit Authority,

"(Midvalley Express BRT) follows the overwhelming success of the Utah Valley Express and Ogden Express as the third bus rapid transit line in the UTA system, combining the speed and capacity of light rail with the lower construction costs of a bus system. Construction began earlier this year, is already 30% complete, and on schedule to begin service in 2026.

"Transit is a community investing in itself. For every $1 spent on UTA projects, the community receives a return of more than $5. (For example), the S-Line in Sugarhouse, which was funded through a $26 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, has spurred $2 billion in new investment along its corridor.

"By connecting local destinations and planned developments throughout Murray, Taylorsville, and West Valley City — including a dedicated loop and stop through the Salt Lake Community College campus — (the Midvalley Express BRT) has the potential to be a positive and transformative force on the community it serves."

In discussing the value provided by the forthcoming Midvalley Express BRT, Veronica Vanterpool, FTA Deputy Administrator said,

"As the Salt Lake region continues to grow, the Midvalley Express (BRT) will provide a new form of reliable and convenient transit. We are pleased to include Salt Lake County to the growing list of communities benefiting from America's largest-ever investment in high-quality public transportation."

Interestingly, although not included in the FTA news announcement, the FTA grant of $62.8 million also covers the cost for all riders during the first 5 years of the Midvalley Express BRT.

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