Kenneth K. Rencher and Dr. Richard H. Jackson, Geography
Introduction and Background
In 2001 The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) completed the first phase of a new light rail system, TRAX, stretching from Downtown Salt Lake City south to Sandy. Two years later, an east-west line was added to connect to the University of Utah and the U of U Medical Center. One of the justifications for these projects was that the creation of a light rail system would be a catalyst to economic development in the areas around the tracks and stations. This study examines the initial impacts on housing densities, commercial and retail development, and property values along the existing TRAX corridors.
One of the main arguments against selection of light rail over other mass transit options, like buses for example, has traditionally been the higher cost. Light rail advocates justify the expense by claiming that the permanent nature of rail lines and transit stations stimulate economic growth and development in the surrounding neighborhoods. Because bus routes can be changed and require little permanent infrastructural development, mass-transit corridors served by buses are not likely to experience this type of growth.
Knowing where and how the effects of TRAX are already manifesting themselves can be a valuable tool for city planners as they help to shape future growth. If analysis can identify and predict patterns of TRAX-related growth or decline or show how and where future impacts are likely to be felt, city leaders can take proactive steps to either maximize the benefits or mitigate the negative effects. This advance planning can increase the effectiveness of the TRAX system and help the communities develop a more beneficial symbiosis with the new light rail system.
Current Land Use Impacts
When TRAX was built, it initially developed in the existing north-south heavy rail corridors bisecting the south half of the Salt Lake Valley. As Utah’s industrial capacity grew in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, heavy industrial land uses such as manufacturing plants, warehouses, and smelters developed along the rail lines. When the I-15 Interstate was created, it paralleled the rail lines through the communities of Midvale, Murray, and South Salt Lake. This reinforced the industrial nature of the land bounded by the rail lines on the east and the freeway on the west. East of the tracks the land has been a mixture of commercial and residential developments.
Population growth along the Wasatch Front and changes to the heavy industrial sectors of Utah’s economy have significantly altered the land use patterns in Salt Lake City and its southern suburbs. Sandy has now grown to become the second-most-populous city in the state, with similarly high growth rates seen in Bluffdale, Riverton, and Draper. Significantly more residents now commute from homes in the south part of the county and from Utah County, which has dramatically increased the congestion on the major north-south road corridors. Many of the industrial and manufacturing jobs have been eliminated or relocated; as a result, many of the properties that abut the main TRAX line are either abandoned or deteriorated. As the residential areas to the east have aged, former residents have moved away and most of the neighborhoods have experienced moderate to severe decline.
According to my research of light rail transit systems across the United States, the changes that result from infrastructure investments—new line extensions, stations, etc.—will have a positive financial benefit and do impact the types of housing and the mix of commercial and residential land uses. However, these changes are very rarely seen over periods of less than five to ten years. Partly due to the complex interactions between the real estate market and the political land-planning process, most cities require about fifteen years to see the redevelopment of existing structures and property into the more compact and diverse patterns typical of transitoriented development. Those cities which progress at a faster pace typically are those that have the advantage of having large tracts of vacant or undeveloped land immediately adjacent to the transit stops. In the case of TRAX, two cities have the benefit of this fortuitous accident of geography: Murray and Sandy.
In both cases civic leaders and planners have actively pressed for higher-density multiple-family residential development and commercial development capable of providing residents with ways to accomplish the majority of the day-to-day travel needs either by foot or by mass transit. However, Sandy appears to have done the better job of incorporating the TRAX station into a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood. The two Sandy stations are located within fifteen-minute walks, or five-minute bus rides, of a greater variety of offices, schools, shopping areas, and houses, compared to the three Murray stations. The Murray Central stop is adjacent to the new medical complex under construction, but, unfortunately, the design of the parking lot makes the station seem a more appropriate destination for automobiles than for pedestrians.
Currently, the most successful portions of the TRAX system, i.e. the most heavily traveled segments, are the downtown areas. From the Franklin Covey Field stop at 1300 South to the downtown terminus at the Delta Center and along the east-west University Line, ridership numbers are much higher than the rest of the system. This is an indication of the more effective symbiotic relationship between the transit system and the higher density of potential users. The very diverse mix of employment centers, civic facilities, housing units, and commercial land uses is a mosaic that is better poised to take advantage of the light rail system. It also serves as a model for the redevelopment of the industrial land that surrounds many of the transit stations to the south. When the buildings are arranged to minimize walking distance and travel time for non-automobile commuters, people are more likely to leave their cars at home.
Future Research
The next steps in this research are to incorporate the zoning and property ownership data from each of the five cities along the current TRAX lines into a single GIS dataset, so that the changes in current and anticipated land use can be mapped and analyzed. Currently each city operates independently and, in some cases, incompatibly. Due to the lengthy time frame relating to changes in land uses and neighborhood design, it will be several years before more significant impacts are noticeable. Examining each municipality’s general plans—which typically span ten to thirty year horizons—and comparing that information with the projections and future plans of UTA and involved regional planning agencies will provide clues to the future impacts of TRAX.