Position Paper: Salt Lake Station

Salt Lake City and Mayor DeeDee Corridinni has set policy to build a new transportation center in Salt Lake City. Although InterRail does support a transportation center, the location chosen by the city will not benefit the operations of the transportation center. The new Intermodal station will go in an area that is currently a minor yard for the Union Pacific railroad, and is a hazardous waste site. Although the area is schedule for redevelopment, it could be many years before this happens. In the meantime, the new Intermodal station is in a bad location with no easy access to anything.

We at InterRail feel that the former Union Pacific station would make a more logical choice for a new transportation center. There are several benefits to the Union Pacific location over the proposed location and the present Amtrak station in the former Rio Grande Station.

  1. The Union Pacific station has a direct connection to the new north-south light rail line and the proposed East-West light rail line.
  2. The Union Pacific station is centrally located only three blocks from 2 hotels, across the street from the Delta Center, two blocks from the convention center, three blocks from the main shopping areas, and four blocks to the biggest attraction in Utah: Temple Square.
  3. The Union Pacific station is a better station for the proposed commuter train line as it is located closer to the employment center of Salt Lake City.
  4. The present Rio Grande station, although located next to a museum, is also within a block of three homeless shelters and soup kitchens.
  5. By using the Union Pacific station, the city would not have to pay for a feeder connection for the light rail line.
  6. To remodel the Union Pacific station would be less expensive than building a new station that would require new street access, new sewers, and other upgrades to the infrastructure improvements.
  7. There is plenty of land at the Union Pacific station for bus parking, automobile parking, room for the new commuter trains, and the expansion of Amtrak.
  8. Not only is there plenty of room for Amtrak and Greyhound, there is plenty of room within the UP building for restaurants, stores, transit information, and offices.
  9. The area east of the Union Pacific station already has seen substantial redevelopment, and makes a more ideal location around which to base future development.

The Intermodal station will be, for many, their first impression of Salt Lake City. The former Union Pacific station, turned into a multi-modal station with many services, will give visitors a wonderful first impression of Salt Lake City, and provide a beautiful gateway of which the entire city could be proud.