Utah Transit Authority (UTA) FrontRunner Extension – Ogden to Brigham City, UT

  • Cortni Chandler |
  • Ned McFarlane |
  • Kyler Nielsen |
  • Tyson Roper |
  • Joshua Ward |

Project Summary

UTA is planning to extend the FrontRunner commuter rail line (Fig. 1) from Ogden, Utah, to Brigham City, Utah, to enhance interurban transportation in Northern Utah between Box Elder, Weber, and Davis counties. UTA asked SpotOn Engineering to perform a feasibility analysis on extending the FrontRunner commuter rail line northward and to design a possible station location for the Brigham City area.

Figure 1. FrontRunner Train

Alternatives

The following alternatives were considered for extension of the FrontRunner rail line: I-15, Utah-Idaho Corridor (UIC), Highway 89, along the base of the mountain, and doing nothing. Each route is shown in Fig. 2.

Figure 2. Route Alternatives
Figure 3. Station Location Design
Category Weight A1:I15 A2:US-89 A3:Mtn A4:UIC A5:DN
Transportation 30% 0.70 0.50 0.50 0.60 0.60
Traveler Protection 25% 0.80 0.20 0.60 0.40 1.00
Environmental 25% 0.55 0.80 0.15 0.80 0.80
Economic Benifits 10% 0.70 0.40 0.30 0.70 0.40
Cost 10% 0.75 0.40 0.45 0.45 1.00
Weighted Score 69% 48% 49% 60% 77%

Process

Each alternative was evaluated based on the weighted criteria shown in Fig. 4. Each alternative was given a score from 1 to 5 with 5 being the most favorable and 1 being the least favorable. Scores were then summed and multiplied by their respected weights to determine the most favorable alternative.

Figure 5. FrontRunner Station

Results

The evaluation shows there is no current need for the FrontRunner Extension. The population currently does not support the need of extending public transportation from Ogden to Brigham City.

Despite no current need for the extension, the selected alternative for the FrontRunner rail line extension is along I-15. A projected station location, parking lot, and detention basin has been allotted in Brigham City (Fig. 3).