Deseret News archives: Public transit found a higher gear in Utah when FrontRunner debuted 16 years ago

Chris Miller
·2 min read
Preston Berry, 4, wears his FrontRunner Halloween costume at the grand opening of UTA's commuter train at the Salt Lake station April 26, 2008. The train meant to alleviate congestion on I-15 runs between Ogden and Salt Lake City six days a week.
Preston Berry, 4, wears his FrontRunner Halloween costume at the grand opening of UTA's commuter train at the Salt Lake station April 26, 2008. The train meant to alleviate congestion on I-15 runs between Ogden and Salt Lake City six days a week. | Keith Johnson

A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives.

Perhaps it was fitting that the first official FrontRunner run began in Ogden, which has many of its ties to rail travel dating back to the transcontinental railroad days. Also, in the first half of the 1900s, rail service between Salt Lake and Ogden was routine via the Bamberger Railroad.

The weekend of April 26-27, 2008, dawned bright and warm as dignitaries gathered at Ogden’s Union Station. After a bunch of speeches, riders jumped on the FrontRunner’s train and traveled south, according to front page coverage in the April 27 Deseret News.

Small celebrations were held along the way in Roy, Clearfield, Layton, Farmington and Woods Cross before arriving at the plaza of the new Salt Lake Central Station, according to the Deseret News’ Art Raymond in the April 27, 2008, story.

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A crowd gathered at the Farmington station is reflected in one of the windows of FrontRunner, UTA's commuter rail system, during the grand opening April 26, 2008. FrontRunner is a commuter rail system that runs between Salt Lake City and Ogden in an attempt to alleviate congestion on Interstate 15. | Keith Johnson

Now the iconic red, white and blue FrontRunner engine and bi-level passenger cars are visible all along the Wasatch Front. Rail service extends to Provo, with expansion in both directions a constant consideration.

“As an homage to the famous image that captured the driving of the golden spike at Promontory Summit in 1869, UTA put two FrontRunner trains nose-to-nose behind the speakers’ podium as a backdrop to the grand ceremony,” wrote Raymond.

The Utah Transit Authority came into existence on March 3, 1970, when Salt Lake City, Sandy and Murray voted to form a transit district. Bus service was extended to Weber and Davis counties three years later, and to Utah County in 1985.

Light-rail mass transit debuted in Utah on Dec. 4, 1999, months ahead of projected construction timetables — and seven years after Salt Lake County voters rejected a sales-tax increase to pay for it, per reports.

Earlier this month, members of the International Olympic Committee’s host site commission mentioned the public transit options in place as a key part of Salt Lake’s bid for a 2034 Olympic Games.