A LETTER OF SUPPORT

For the Rio Grande Plan

A LETTER OF SUPPORT
FOR THE RIO GRANDE PLAN
FROM THE GREATER AVENUES COMMUNITY COUNCIL

January 8, 2025
To Whom It May Concern:

The Greater Avenues Community Council supports the Rio Grande Plan, a citizen-led proposal which seeks to eliminate eight at-grade rail crossings near downtown Salt Lake City by putting the rails in an underground structure called a train box.

We believe this initiative would benefit Salt Lake City in a number of important ways:

• It would make the city easier to navigate and improve safety for cyclists, pedestrians, and others by burying the rail lines and reducing the east-west divide.
• It would improve air quality by decreasing lines of idling vehicles at railroad crossings and by increasing public transit ridership by offering a better overall experience.
• It would reduce noise pollution since train whistles and such would be below ground.
• It would reimagine 125 acres of underutilized downtown land that could be used in a
  variety of ways to benefit city residents.
  • It would preserve the historic, 114-year-old Rio Grande Depot and restore it to its
  original glory.
• It would create an iconic transit hub for the entire region, accommodating Union Pacific, UTA FrontRunner, Amtrak, TRAX, and buses.
• It would once again establish a cherished landmark, welcoming visitors and residents to our city in a way that would make us proud.

The potential impact to our city, state, and region is tremendous, and we strongly encourage all leaders and citizens to take action.

With so many new developments and significant events on the horizon, now is the time to seriously consider the future of transportation in our city and to secure the necessary funding to move such a solid, well-researched, transformative plan forward.

Sincerely,

The Greater Avenues Community Council

Download PDF Version of Official Letter

OUR NEIGHBORHOOD