PROVO, Utah — The Utah Transit Authority is looking at extending FrontRunner service further south in the future.
The planned project would extend commuter rail service from Provo to Payson with proposed stations in Springville, Spanish Fork and Payson.
"South Utah County is a high growth area. There's going to be a lot of development already, has been a lot of development down there, there's a lot of people who are there, a lot more people who are coming," UTA spokesman Carl Arky said.
The South Valley Transit Study that was completed in 2022 identified extending FrontRunner service as the "Locally Preferred Alternative."
FrontRunner currently goes 89 miles from Ogden down to Provo.
Arky says there is no funding or timeline for this project at the moment, and there are a lot of things that would need to be done before ground would be broken.
"There would be environmental impact or studies and reports and things of that nature. We'd be looking at preliminary designs," he said.
Arky said he feels people will think this project is money that will be worth spending to help extend rail transportation further south into Utah County.
"It also will help economic growth in south Utah County. It will help with development down there," he said.
On Tuesday, the second in a series of public information meetings centered around the planning to extend FrontRunner was held Tuesday night at the Provo City Library. A handful of people turned out to get a glimpse of the proposed plans and give feedback to UTA representatives.
"It'll definitely make life easier for a lot of residents," said Peter Zeigler, a Utah Valley University sophomore who turned out for the meeting.
Zeigler says he rides FrontRunner at least once a week, including on Tuesday to attend the public information meeting.
"It's a very scenic ride, or at least FrontRunner South is," said Zeigler. "Another thing that I like about the FrontRunner is its connection to the Green Line to the Salt Lake City International Airport."
After attending the meeting, Zeigler shared his hope for the project.
"That it'll not only boost FrontRunner ridership levels, but also encourage more dense development around the housing," said Zeigler.
There are two more public information meetings scheduled pertaining to the planned FrontRunner South Extension. The next will be on Thursday at Library Hall in Spanish Fork, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The final meeting will be held in the Civic Center Multipurpose Room in Springville on June 12, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
More information on the FrontRunner South Extension can be found here.
