Faster, more frequent buses are coming to the suburbs.
The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded a $62.8 million grant to the Utah Transit Authority to support construction of the Midvalley Express, or MVX, according to a news release last week. The seven-mile, all-electric bus rapid transit route will connect to UTA rail lines and serve 15 stations from Murray to West Valley City. It is due for completion in 2026.
The new bus line will feature 15-minute service, be prioritized at traffic signals and use a new designated bus lane to shorten travel times between the east and west sides of the valley. Construction on the route began in the spring and is expected to cost $104.1 million by the time buses start rolling.
“The Biden-Harris administration’s investment supports the latest line in UTA’s growing transit network and will provide better, faster rides for Salt Lake County,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement. “More people in the Salt Lake region will have access to a dependable, affordable, and safe transportation option to get to work or school, visit a doctor, go shopping, and see loved ones.”
The bus line will begin at Murray Central Station, drive west along 4500/4700 South with stops serving Taylorsville, including the suburb’s Salt Lake Community College campus, then move north with stops along 2700 West, ending at West Valley Central Station.
“More than three-quarters of SLCC students work while pursuing a degree, making a fast, convenient and reliable transit connection all the more important,” Veronica Vanterpool, deputy administrator for the Federal Transit Administration, said in a statement. “We are pleased to include Salt Lake County to the growing list of communities benefiting from America’s largest-ever investment in high-quality public transportation.”
The new route will also add to the area’s efforts to host the 2034 Olympics by creating a connection between FrontRunner and the Maverik Center, a planned venue for the games.
The Midvalley Express marks the third bus rapid transit line in UTA’s service area, joining the Ogden Express in Weber County and the Utah Valley Express in Utah County.
