2 weeks Ago
Supporters of an ambitious plan to heal Salt Lake City’s east-west divide with a major overhaul of its west-side rail yards got a huge boost Wednesday as they look to convince lawmakers to bury tracks underground. A newly released economic analysis from Utah State University shows the so-called Rio Grande Plan for submerging rail corridors, wiping away a series of traffic-snarling rail crossings and opening up lots of developable land could generate over $12.2 billion in total economic output.
The analysis unveiled Wednesday is considered crucial for a small group of volunteers that has steadily pressed for the overhaul in citizen lobbying of city and state leaders for support — and funding its price tag. (Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Salt Lake County Council Member Laurie Stringham speaks during a presentation of an economic benefit analysis for the Rio Grande Plan at the County Government Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. A 2023 Salt Lake City study estimated the entire plan could cost up to $5 billion.
“We now have the other half of the equation,” Rio Grande Plan organizer Frederick Jenny said. “Salt Lake City gave us the cost. USU gave us the benefit.
So, now you have a complete equation to go talk to those elected officials.” The Rio Grande Plan aims to streamline and bury the tracks that carry trains such as Union Pacific freighters and Utah Transit Authority’s FrontRunner passenger line, largely under 500 West from 1300 South to about 50 North. Plan supporters, including Salt Lake County Council at-large member Laurie Stringham , gathered at the Salt Lake County Government Center Wednesday morning to share the results of the USU analysis.
Researchers, advocates and elected officials have touted the transportation overhaul as a way to end fatal train collisions, reconnect east and west sides of the city and restore train service to the historic Rio Grande Depot, at 300 S. Rio Grande, which the city is eyeing for major redevelopment. Proponents say the Rio Grand Plan could also open up at least 75 acres of currently underutilized railyard space for redevelopment along the western edge of downtown Salt Lake City.
(Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Christian Lenhart speaks during a presentation of an economic benefit analysis for the Rio Grande Plan at the County Government Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. The analysis, compiled by a pair of USU economics graduate students and associate professor of data analytics Pedram Jahangiry, used predictive modeling to show future financial benefits related to the project. “We knew that, from the investment side, this project is going to cost three to $5 billion,” Jahangiry said.
“but the big question was, what is the ripple effect of this investment to the economy? What is the return on investment?” The study predicts the proposal could add over $7.8 billion to Utah’s gross domestic product, or GDP, an aggregate measure of economic activity. Researchers also say it could create over 51,800 new jobs in Salt Lake County, result in about 2,700 new housing units and spur an additional $3.
2 billion annually in commercial output after land around the depot is redeveloped. (Christopher Cherrington | The Salt Lake Tribune) Plan supporters have doggedly advocated for the transportation project. Last year, they won the support of the County Council and presented the plan’s contours to the Utah Legislature’s Interim Transportation Committee .
However, major players that would have to be involved in the project’s construction have not yet backed it. Union Pacific owns much of the land and track that would have to be moved. The company, as well as other freight companies that operate on the rail lines, has not indicated any public support for the proposal.
Plan supporters also will have to convince state leaders in the Utah Legislature and the executive branch of the project’s feasibility and benefits. (Bethany Baker | The Salt Lake Tribune) Salt Lake City Council Member Alejandro Puy speaks during a presentation of an economic benefit analysis for the Rio Grande Plan at the County Government Center in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. “This is just going to be a dream unless we have more state leaders speaking about this,” west-side Salt Lake City Council member Alejandro Puy said at Wednesday’s event, “and talking about the impacts of this.
” At least one state legislator is already on board. “We have in the state, over the last couple of years, made some commitments to some projects that were brought by some of our billionaires here,” said Rep. Raymond Ward, R-Bountiful .
“And I think those are going to turn out well for us in the long run, but it would be OK with me if we also gave credence to a project that was bought by a volunteer group of civil engineers, instead of another billionaire.”.
