Supporters of the Rio Grande Plan to revamp Salt Lake City’s rail yards celebrated a significant advancement this week as a new economic analysis from Utah State University revealed the project could yield an impressive $12.2 billion in total economic output.
The study, announced on Wednesday, is seen as crucial for a collective of volunteers who have been advocating for the transformation through grassroots efforts aimed at city and state leaders to garner both support and funding.
The proposal to submerge the rail corridors, alleviate traffic issues, and unlock developable land is estimated to carry a price tag of up to $5 billion based on a recent Salt Lake City study.
Frederick Jenny, one of the organizers for the Rio Grande Plan, emphasized the importance of the newly released economic analysis. “Salt Lake City gave us the cost. USU gave us the benefit. So, now you have a complete equation to go talk to those elected officials,” he stated.
The Rio Grande Plan seeks to bury the tracks that currently serve the Union Pacific freight trains and the Utah Transit Authority’s FrontRunner passenger line beneath 500 West, extending from 1300 South to around 50 North.
Supporters, including Salt Lake County Council at-large member Laurie Stringham, gathered at the County Government Center to highlight the findings from the USU analysis.
The proposed transportation overhaul is being championed as a solution to prevent fatal train collisions, mend the divide between the east and west sides of the city, and revive train services at the historic Rio Grande Depot, located at 300 S. Rio Grande, which is targeted for significant redevelopment.
The initiative is projected to open up approximately 75 acres of currently underutilized rail yard land for redevelopment on the western fringes of downtown Salt Lake City.
The analysis conducted by two USU economics graduate students and Pedram Jahangiry, an associate professor of data analytics, utilized predictive modeling techniques to forecast financial benefits associated with the project.
Jahangiry noted the investment required for the project is anticipated to range between $3 billion and $5 billion. However, he stressed the importance of understanding the economic ripple effect this investment would generate.
The study forecasts that the Rio Grande Plan could significantly impact Utah’s gross domestic product, potentially adding more than $7.8 billion by enhancing economic activity in the area.
Furthermore, it is estimated that the initiative could create upwards of 51,800 new jobs within Salt Lake County, prompt the development of around 2,700 new housing units, and lead to an additional $3.2 billion in annual commercial output following the redevelopment of land surrounding the depot.
Advocates of the plan have remained diligent in their pursuit of this transportation project. Last year, they gained the support of the County Council and presented the blueprint of the initiative to the Utah Legislature’s Interim Transportation Committee.
Nevertheless, key stakeholders whose involvement is critical for the project’s construction have yet to express public support. Union Pacific, which owns much of the land and tracks that need to be moved, along with other freight companies operating on these lines, has remained silent on the proposal.
Plan advocates recognize the need to persuade state leaders in both the Utah Legislature and the executive branch of the project’s practicality and advantages.
“This is just going to be a dream unless we have more state leaders speaking about this,” commented west-side Salt Lake City Council member Alejandro Puy during Wednesday’s gathering, emphasizing the necessity of discussing the project’s impacts.
Promisingly, at least one state legislator has already pledged support for the initiative, hinting at potential progress in the campaign for the Rio Grande Plan.
image source from：https://www.sltrib.com/news/2025/04/24/slcs-rio-grande-plan-projected/
