As rapid population growth is projected to continue in Salt Lake City over the next several decades, the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) is working to improve mobility in the region. With the completion of 88 miles of FrontRunner stretching north of Salt Lake City to Ogden and south to Provo, UTA has made a large investment in commuter rail. To attract more riders, UTA is looking at what deters potential riders, in particular the gap from home and work to FrontRunner stations.
Nelson\Nygaard analyzed the need and untapped market for shuttle service to and from FrontRunner stations. After gathering input from UTA staff, park-and-ride occupancy data, population and employment density data, and U.S. Census travel data, we evaluated all 14 rail stations equally using real records of where people live in relation to where they work. We recommended operating new shuttle service at Woods Cross and South Jordan stations, and to continue operations at Lehi and Provo stations. To increase the appeal for commuters, we recommended distinctive branding to connect rail and shuttle trips.