Blue Line (TRAX)

The Blue Line is a light rail line on the TRAX system in the Salt Lake Valley of Utah, in the United States, operated by the Utah Transit Authority (UTA). It is the first line of the TRAX system completed. The line opened on December 4, 1999, one year ahead of schedule after two years of construction. In addition to Salt Lake City, it also serves the communities of South Salt Lake, Murray, Midvale, Sandy and Draper. The line was known as the North/South Line or the Sandy/Salt Lake Line until color names were adopted for each TRAX line in August 2011. An extension of the line to Draper began service on August 18, 2013.

As of 2019, The Utah Transport Authority has begun restoring the Siemens SD 100 and 160s that run on the line, the first restored unit placed into service on April 8, 2019.

Route

The TRAX Blue Line is designated as UTA Route 701. The right of way used by the Blue Line is one of the oldest in the state of Utah. It was first built by the Utah Southern Railroad in 1871, which was acquired by the Union Pacific Railroad and became their Salt Lake to Provo line. The line became largely unused after a 1985 track-sharing agreement between the Union Pacific and the Denver and Rio Grande Western. Both companies operated parallel lines in the area and the D&RGW line became the primary freight line between Provo and Salt Lake City. The former Union Pacific line was sold to the Utah Transit Authority in 1993 to eventually become the Blue Line's right of way. Since that time the line is not used for through freight traffic, however, there are freight customers that have a direct connection to the Blue Line, due to its origins as a freight railway. The Salt Lake City Southern Railroad was formed to serve these customers and manages the freight traffic over the Blue Line.

The Blue Line starts at Draper Town Center in northern Draper. This station is northwest of the Draper City buildings, northwest of the Draper City Park, and immediately north of East Pioneer Road (East 12400 South). From this station, the Blue Line heads west-northwest to cross Draper Parkway (East 12300 South) and then northwest along the southwest side of the Porter Rockwell Trail to cross East 12000 South and then South 700 East (SR-71). Immediately after crossing South 700 East it reaches Kimballs Lane. Continuing northwest (with the Porter Rockwell Trail running along the southwest side) it runs between residential neighborhoods until it crosses East 11400 South. Upon crossing East 11400 South it leaves Draper and enters Sandy and immediately reaches Crescent View. From this station the Blue Line heads north, with Porter Rockwell Trail (Sandy Rail Trail) once again on the east side of the tracks. Continuing north through residential neighborhoods, it crosses East 11000 South and East 10600 South.

Beyond East 10600 South, the Blue Line heads north-northwest until it reaches Sandy Civic Center (the former southern terminus of the Blue Line, until August 18, 2013). This station is several blocks east of Sandy City Hall and the South Towne Center Mall. The Porter Rockwell Trail runs by the east side of this station and, as the trail heads north, it crosses over to the west of the Blue Line tracks at East 10000 South/East 9800 South and then runs north parallel to the Blue Line until it ends at East 8530 South. From Sandy Civic Center, the Blue Line heads north, crossing East 10000 South/East 9800 South (Sego Lily Drive) and, while running along the west side of South 170 East, passing the east side of both Jordan High School and the South Towne Exposition Center. Just after crossing East 9400 South the Blue Line reaches an infill station, Sandy Expo, which provides service to Rio Tinto Stadium in addition to the South Towne Exposition Center.

After Sandy Expo, the Blue Line continues north on the east side of South 150 East until it crosses East 9000 South ( SR-209). Then it crosses over the East Jordan Canal and immediately reaches Historic Sandy. Following Historic Sandy, South 150 East (South Center Street) once again parallels the west side of the Blue Line until that road ends at East 8530 South. As the Blue Line continues north it crosses East 8800 South, East 8720 South (East Main Street), East 8680 South, and East 8530 South. From East 8800 South north to East 8530 South a thin strip of a park (Sandy Station Park), fits between the Blue Line and 150 East (Center Street). Beginning at East 8680 South, North 160 East also runs along the east side of the Blue Line until just after East 8500 South. Just north of East 8500 South the road still continues north along the east side of the tracks until it reaches East 8000 South, but is now designated as North 150 East. At about 8400 South, as the Blue Line leaves Sandy and enters Midvale, it begins to curve to the northwest as it crosses East 8000 South and then immediately over the Jordan Salt Lake City Canal before reaching South State Street ( US Route 89).

After crossing over South State Street, but just south of West 7720 South (West Center Street), the Blue Line reaches Midvale Center. From that station it continues northwest, crossing West 7720 South and West 7500 South (6th Avenue), and then curves back toward the north until it reaches Midvale Fort Union, just south of West 7200 South. After crossing West 7200 South it heads directly north (passing from Midvale into Murray) until it reaches the junction with the TRAX Red Line, which is immediately south of West Winchester Drive. The previous station for the Red Line is Bingham Junction, having started in the Daybreak community of South Jordan. (The Red Line also provides access to UTA's Lovendahl Rail Service Center which is located just west of I-15.) Just after the junction the two lines cross West Winchester Drive and immediately reach Fashion Place West.

From Fashion Place West, the Blue and Red lines continue north on the east side of South 300 West (Cottonwood Street) as they cross over I-215 and then cross West 6100 South and West 5900 South. Just prior to crossing over West 5400 South ( SR-173/Spartan Street), the lines curve slightly to the east as they cross under Cottonwood Street (which curves more sharply to the east). At about 5150 South, the lines reach Murray Central. This station is located just west of the Intermountain Medical Center. It is one of only three joint TRAX/''FrontRunner'' stations and one of two served by the Blue Line. The ''FrontRunner'' platform is located directly west of the TRAX platform. (The ''FrontRunner'' provides commuter rail service between Pleasant View in north Weber County through Davis County and Salt Lake County to Provo in central Utah County.)

Heading north and slightly to the east from Murray Central, the Blue and Red lines cross West Vine Street (West 5090 South) and over Little Cottonwood Creek before continuing directly north as they cross West 4800 South and the 4500 South Frontage Road. After crossing over West 4500 South ( SR-266) the lines reach Murray North at about 4300 South. After crossing West Fireclay Avenue the lines curve slightly to the west as they continue north and cross over Big Cottonwood Creek. Upon crossing over Big Cottonwood Creek, the lines also leave Murray and briefly enter unincorporated Salt Lake County. Continuing north and slightly to the west, the lines cross West Central Avenue and then West 3900 South. At West 3900 South the lines leave unincorporated Salt Lake County and enter South Salt Lake. Immediately north of West 3900 South is Meadowbrook. From this station, the lines head directly north until they cross West 3300 South ( SR-171) and immediately reach Millcreek. Continuing north from Millcreek the lines cross West Gregson Avenue, West 2950 South, and Wes