Trans Jordan board outlines Sandy transfer station plan, cost overruns and subsidy to support Midvale hauling contract

Kane Loder, Trans Jordan landfill board chair and longtime Midvale representative, briefed the Midvale City Council on Feb. 18 about the agency—s new enclosed transfer station in Sandy, scheduling, staffing and finances. Loder said the project—s estimated cost rose from an early figure of about $26.5 million to a board‑approved not‑to‑exceed budget of $30 million because of utility relocations, design changes and unforeseen site conditions.

The facility will have a 44,000‑square‑foot footprint, a 46‑foot vehicle length restriction and an RFID and scale system to speed vehicle processing, Loder said. The transfer station will be open to residential customers on Saturdays (commercial customers will be excluded on that day), and the site will be paired with the county—s household hazardous waste facility to give residents a single stop for hazardous materials and bulk waste.

Loder told the council the board approved using reserve funds rather than raising tipping rates to cover cost overruns; the board set a $30 million contingency to avoid additional approvals as the project finishes. He said the board expects the facility to be state‑of‑the‑art for the region and estimated a likely final construction cost near $29.3–29.5 million.

To make the new Sandy transfer station financially viable for Midvale—s hauling contract, Trans Jordan plans a $7.50 per‑ton subsidy from landfill funds. With the transfer station handling and haul contract, the board reported a haul‑and‑transfer cost of $99.25 per ton and a total cost per ton of $115.00 (including handling); the landfill will subsidize $7.50 per ton to reduce the impact on Midvale—s contract math.

Loder also described operational changes: the board approved increasing full‑time equivalent staff at Trans Jordan from 41 to 51 employees to support transfer station operations, and the transfer station will use a wearable concrete floor with replaceable wear surface to reduce long‑term maintenance costs. The board indicated it would not require East Side cities to haul exclusively to Sandy and voted down a motion that would have compelled member cities to use Sandy exclusively.

Construction and rollout timing described by Loder: a VIP open house and soft opening are planned for mid‑June, with phased rollouts by city for side‑loader trucks and a full public opening for residential customers by early July. Loder said Trans Jordan expects to need another transfer station by the late 2020s; the existing landfill is projected to reach capacity and require closure by about 2032.

Loder said Trans Jordan intends to pay for future closure obligations and new facilities in part by selling 25 acres of property and issuing bonds as needed; the board currently holds roughly $5 million for closure costs. Cost increases were managed from reserve funds and monthly reporting to the board, he said.

Council members asked clarifying questions about why hauling to Sandy could be cost‑competitive versus hauling directly to the Trans Jordan landfill and about the calculation of the minimum tonnage required to make the transfer station financially viable. Loder said the minimum tonnage to make the Sandy transfer station viable is about 50,000 tons per year; the four east‑side cities are expected to supply about 100,000 tons together.

No formal action by the Midvale City Council was recorded on the Trans Jordan presentation; the board approved its budget and project decisions at its prior meeting, and Trans Jordan staff will provide planned open‑house and rollout materials to member cities.