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UTA outlines 2025–29 service plan; proposes Davis–Salt Lake connector, more local on‑demand service
Summary
At a Feb. 18 Centerville City Council meeting, Utah Transit Authority trustees and staff presented a five‑year service plan (2025–29) outlining new routes, a Davis–Salt Lake connector with 18 electric buses, and expanded on‑demand service that UTA says already serves South Davis County at a $2.50 fare.
Utah Transit Authority officials on Feb. 18 told the Centerville City Council they plan several service changes between 2025 and 2029 intended to improve regional connections and local “last‑mile” trips.
For the record, Beth Holbrook, a UTA trustee who said she represents Davis, Weber and Box Elder counties, told the council the agency’s five‑year plan includes new routes (a 417 Redwood Road service and a 470x Davis–Salt Lake connector), adjustments to existing routes and expansions to on‑demand service in South Davis County.
The changes are timed over 2025–29. Holbrook said the 417 service begins in 2025, the Davis–Salt Lake connector (branded in staff materials as the “470x” or the Davis Salt Lake Connector) will operate with increased frequency — she said planners expect a roughly 15‑minute frequency on the connector — and UTA has proposed a federal funding application this year to support capital costs.
Why it matters: the connector would link Farmington, Centerville, Bountiful and North Salt Lake to the University of Utah Research Park and to existing rail and bus services, officials said. UTA told the council those connections are intended to move riders off local arterials and provide a frequent, all‑day alternative for commuters and off‑peak trips.
Key details and local impacts
- Ridership growth: Holbrook said UTA saw ridership grow “about 15 and a half percent between ’23 and ’24.”
- Route specifics: UTA staff described a new 417 Redwood Road route that will connect the west side into Salt Lake City and a 400 route that will replace segments of existing routes (455 and 200) to improve East‑side connectivity. The 470x Davis–Salt Lake connector would run from Farmington through Centerville to Research Park and use dedicated buses and lanes on parts of the Salt Lake City approach.
- Vehicle and operations: UTA said it expects the connector to operate with 18 dedicated 40‑foot electric buses, supported by express and overnight charging infrastructure. Holbrook said the agency will staff the service with additional operators and mechanics.
- Local on‑demand: Holbrook described the South Davis County on‑demand service as a UTA‑branded, app‑based connector similar to ride‑hail but with UTA fares and policies; she said the cost to ride within the geo‑fenced area (Centerville, Bountiful, Woods Cross, North Salt Lake and West Bountiful) is “just $2.50 to catch anywhere within our GeoFrenced area of South Davis County.” Residents and council members praised the on‑demand pilot as particularly helpful to older riders and people needing non‑emergency trips to medical appointments and grocery stores.
- Funding and schedule: Holbrook said UTA has submitted an initial federal proposal for the connector and is finalizing a local match, which staff described as roughly a 60% federal / 40% local split. She said UTA has secured $18,000,000 from a local transit investment fund (TIF) and received local contributions; final federal application materials are expected by August of this year.
Council questions and follow up
Councilwoman Gina Hurst asked for per‑stop or per‑route ridership numbers for Centerville stops. Holbrook said she did not have per‑stop counts available at the meeting but supplied route‑level estimates: the 455 (an eastern route on Orchard) carries about 2,500 riders per day from origin to terminus and the 470 carries about 3,000 riders per day. She told the council staff would follow up with more detailed stop‑level data and the number of buses currently assigned to affected routes.
Holbrook and UTA staff also said the first two years of the plan are largely set, while later years allow more adjustments. They invited council members and staff to contact Chandler Butler, UTA’s new government relations manager, with questions.
What’s next
UTA staff said they will supply the council with printed and electronic copies of maps and the detailed service packet and will return with requested stop‑level ridership, specific fleet counts and further project‑level details as the federal application progresses.
