SALT LAKE CITY — Federal railroad regulators have approved Union Pacific’s sale of a railroad right of way to the Utah Transit Authority for commuter-rail use along the Wasatch Front, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.
The Surface Transportation Board issued the ruling this week. U.P. will get at least $140 million for 175 miles of rail corridor that also could be preserved for future light-rail extensions in the Salt Lake Valley.
UTA negotiated with the nation’s largest railroad for use of its north-south main line between Brigham City and Payson, as well as the abandoned line into Sugar House from South Salt Lake and a line from Midvale to West Jordan and South Jordan.
Studies are under way for a possible TRAX extension along the latter line to West Jordan/South Jordan, along with another possible light-rail route to West Valley City. And the first commuter-rail line along the newly purchased right of way probably would stretch from Ogden to Salt Lake City.
Construction of an l extension of the 400 South University Line to the University of Utah’s medical campus is under way.