Dude you’re my hero. Thanks for your efforts to steer Utah from a paved over, car-based hellscape. All of this feels like common sense. Happy there are people like you out there to fight for a more humane living environment for all, regardless of whether they own a vehicle or not.
Hope SLC can pull this off. While Denver’s Union Station and the adjoining neighborhood are great, they really missed a huge opportunity by leaving the tracks at-grade instead of building a train box. Now Denver is forever stuck with a stub-end passenger station and what should be cohesive, modern neighborhood that is still fragmented by rail tracks. Really hope SLC learns from DEN and doesn’t cheap out on this project.
Denver did so many things right, and provided most of the inspiration behind our original proposal. But you are right, the stub-end station and bifurcated neighborhood will impose limitations on future success. It's a good lesson for us to learn.
That would be amazing for Salt Lake City. Brightline WEST can extend to Rio Grande Depot from Las Vegas with stops in Mesquite, St. George, Cedar City, Provo and Sandy before SLC. Maybe extend to Boise by 2040.
That would be amazing and considering how isolated the southeast is already it could provide huge economic boosters for those who either don’t want to drive long distances or can’t afford the plane tickets. They should also avoid the disaster that is Amtrak and make the rail actually affordable
I was coming on here to say the same thing.If Bright Line West really wanted to do something good then they would make a Hub in Las Vegas and Connect to Salt Lake City and Phoenix to make it worth their wild.
@@AndreBeverly I’m unsure for need of a straight elevated tunnel at this time in history. I do understand that government bureaucracies get in the way, but thank God Utah is not California
What a great video! It really explains why we need to make this plan a reality. It also is very upbeat! Cannot wait for more videos and cannot wait till the public event on the 14th!
Thanks! It isn't just me working hard - there are a lot of people who really want to see this concept happen. I can't wait to meet up with everyone on the 14th!
I really wish I worked out of the SLC area to be able to support this. I'm stuck in the ABQ area, but the few times I've been to SLC, I've been amazed at the city the way it is now and this would only make it better. I wish you nothing but luck in getting this common sense project to come to fruition!
I was just down in ABQ last weekend, I thought that a train box would be good for you all as well especially if Rail Runner gets more frequent. I bet they would appreciate you commenting about the project to help the information spread!!
As a slc resident I would much rather see rail and public transit infrastructure get a much needed hand in Utah. The faster we can migrate from car infrastructure the better. I would love nothing more than to be able to take the train and bike to work every day but sadly it’s not quite expansive enough. First is public awareness campaigns because I’m pretty sure most people don’t even know about this plan
This plan really is well thought out. The problem and it’s effects were identified and a solution was drafted to fix it. I have only one question, how does ventilation work with diesel trains running underneath the city streets?
@@pizzajona There would need to be a sufficient number of vents up to the surface, similar to the covered portions of the RETRAK trench in Reno NV. Similar structures can be found around City Creek Mall to get fume out of the subterranean parking garages.
@pizzajona The easiest way is to keep the vents far away from pedestrian areas. Either in the middle of the street, or have ventilation structures that are taller than a pedestrian. See Reno's Locomotive Plaza for an example.
It should be rebranded as......... the Rio Grande CENTRAL Plan imbuing it with an air of inevitability around its already all-around super sound core concept.
Hmmm, it has a nice ring to it... "Next stop, Salt Lake City, Rio Grande Central. Transfer here to the TRAX downtown circulator and other bus and rail connections...."
I am really hopeful this plan happens. It would be great if we can get some federal grants to help pay for this. All of those rail yards rail crossings and bridge viaducts have always driven me nuts It is a nightmare walking and driving in that area.
The only thing that would make this project even better would be taking the freeway and also putting it in an underground box where the freightyard is today!
UTA has seen it and is watching its progress. Salt Lake City is pushing ahead with a feasibility study, which is really exciting! I don't know if Amtrak has any opinions yet.
This is a great idea and a great video! The only thing I don't like is the modern architecture you propose next to the historical station building. Traditional architecture is just so much better and more timeless: The underground station should try to recreate the same architectural style as the depot.
For the time being, we've chosen something as eye-catching as we could in order to get attention and explore the possibilities. The real designs will be drawn up much, much later. And I agree that classic architecture is timeless and cannot be duplicated - that is why we are working to return the Rio Grande Depot to service!
I love this plan. I would much rather the state, that is us the tax payers, pay for this instead of the ridiculous "entertainment" district that is going mainly benefit the developers instead of the people who actually live here. The Rio Grande Plan would actually be the best thing to revitalize downtown. Salt Lake City government officials are always touting how they want to make this a walkable and beautiful city but do the opposite with their backroom deals with developers. We need plans and architecture that actually benefit the people that live here and really make SLC a globally recognized, capital city.
I'm a big fan of this project. It should happen and hopefully by 2050 it will become reality. The only issue I have is with the statements regarding reconnecting the east and the west sides (6:10) of the city. With the Rio Grande Plan, the east side will push westward but it will still meet the massive barrier that is I-15. The east and west sides will never really reconnect until that freeway/interstate is removed, rerouted, or buried. Thanks for the video.
I completely agree that I-15 is a significant barrier, but I also don't think it is nearly as divisive as the railroad tracks. At least the freeway is grade separated, doesn't block traffic, and isn't the site of repeated pedestrian fatalities. It is also a much bigger deal to relocate a freeway than it is for railroad tracks... I already stated my thoughts on that idea in a separate video: ua-cam.com/video/drMAK7t3-eA/v-deo.htmlsi=zxFdqNyXbsCxmOgM&t=8m52s
@@CSLenhart yeah while the freeway bottlenecks east-west traffic, imagine walking from the west side and immediately being in the city again on the east side after going under the freeway. Massive difference from what it's like now with the viaducts and railyards.
Two new videos since announcing the unveiling of the study results-would it be safe to assume whatever’s in that report is the cause of this enthusiasm?
Yes! I will make videos regardless, because I really do believe this is a good cause to be involved with - but the amount of progress being made is very encouraging! I can't wait to discuss it all on the 14th!
@cslenhart I think you need to address concerns. If you read comments on KSL people seem to think that homeless people will be sleeping in the below grade train box or using nasty bathrooms down there and that kind of stuff. My understanding is that their won't be any room for homeless or people just loitering around. Also I would think that people would use restrooms in the Rio grande train station. Can you please clarify on this here? Also in a future updated video?
I am hearing some rumbling that both the FTA and our local UTA/DOT are very nervous about the sticker shock. I know we initially estimated this project for $500mil. And the newest assessment is showing $3 billion, much of that because of the pumping situation with ground water the further west you get. How can we turn that feeling around towards a more optimistic view? Obviously we can't move anything along until we get those with the power to move a project to the funding category. Do we still feel like it's realistic to happen in the near term?
They should build an NHL arena on this land, with access to transportation and creating an entertainment center, this would be a huge win for Salt Lake City
Why hasn't anyone addressed the groundwater concern. In Utah we have entire neighborhoods where people don't have basements because we have shallow ground-water elevation, and the Salt Lake Basin is a major liquefaction zone. In fact, the zone proposed for the RGP is where liquefaction risk is at its highest. The video mentioned there are tunnels in various other cities, but they all have very difference geographies. Even if tunnels WERE constructed, the cost would eat up so much of any project's cost, as much of the infrastructure would have to be dedicated to water reclamation and the maintenance costs would eat into potential benefits. I could see myself as more of an ally rather than a skeptic if I saw more of the plan's proponents could help me address some of these concerns.
There is a cost and impact screening analysis on the city's website. That study mentions the ground water and how to the Rio Grande Plan addresses it. You can also learn more about the project's ins and outs at the December 14th 2023 public meeting. It seems that it will also be streamed on Christian's channel!
I heard a state, regional or city planning agency hired consultants to estimate the cost and they came up with a price tag of _3 billion USD!_ Would it still break even at that point?
In the long run, yes, I believe it can bring in more money than it costs. In the short term, it's much cheaper to close the railroad crossings this way than trying to grade separate them in place.
Important video. Well done. You bring my valid ideas to the table. The airport was supposed to cost $3B...now it's $5B. The prison is over $1B. The Point will be a multibillion dollar project. The feeding frenzy of developers, construction companies, LLC and the Legislature is well documented in Utah. The State is on big friends and family program. The housing crisis on the WF will not be addressed by this LLC feeding frenzy. The double tracking of the Frontrunner will take care of that need. If you really want to reduce the car culture there have free buses and Trax like they do on poor air quality days. Most people I knew on the WF drove to church when it was three blocks away. This is a real estate development masquerading as a transportation and housing plan. Do I trust the Legislature to do the right thing? Not at all. Keep it simple. Bus rapid transit, more frequent buses, ebikes and housing for the majority. Faster, cheaper and more realistic.
Thank you! We're doing our best to get the word out to the public with a few social media channels. One of the best things you can do to help, besides writing to your elected representatives, is to introduce the idea to your own social circles. With enough public support, anything is possible!
Creating a transit-oriented neighborhood only works if you create a transit network. When TOD centers on a single line, it often falls short. One of the more special things about the train box is electrification - in other words, SLC is trying to create SEPTA, much like Denver RTD. Good for commuters, but not good for lifestyle, and we've seen so much shift in commuting that pre-pandemic densification plans aren't always panning out.
Utah is unique in that all of the major locations are in a straight line, it's geographically condensed by the lake and the valley and is not the same as Philly.
This would be the nexus of a commuter/regional line, 2-3 TRAX light rail lines, and increased Amtrak services to/from SF/Denver/Boise/Las Vegas. Definitely not just a one-trick pony!
Seriously! So many other winter Olympic hosts, such as Russia, China, and Korea, all built new HSR lines to make a national statement. I'm not expecting HSR in Utah, but it would be amazing to be able to construct something here that represents a positive can-do American spirit.
@@longiusaescius2537 But if done right can be helpful for the community as a whole. These Olympics already have most of the sports based infrastructure in place. Now its about getting the people moving infrastructure. That is where this project will come into play!
they are fun though? plus many cities can become ghost towns after olympics but SLC thrived after and after now growing the olympics returning would only boom its growth further @@longiusaescius2537
Northbound trains absolutely do remain at-speed through 900 South - or at least they used to before PTC when I was a Train Host. What speeds do you see through that crossing now?
@@CSLenhart Under 60, then 45 or less by 800 South going north, and usually under 40 mph going south while still building speed. Long story short, if people would heed the warning devices and STAY OUT of the crossings until they are cleared(gates up & lights OFF), they wouldn't get hit.
@@CSLenhart Once again, thanks for the reply. I really think there should be support for the project, and that it would be completely AMAZING to see it become reality. Looking forward to more videos. :D
This project is definitely the appropriate scale for the Wasatch Front. The new SLC airport terminal has cost $5 billion all said and done, and a proposed I-15 rebuild between SLC and Farmington is estimated to cost $4 billion. The Rio Grande plan is perfectly in-line with either of these projects.
*you're and your comment makes no sense. SLC residents would pay for this and then get paid back with all the land it opens up for economic development.
Now that the airport terminal is done (well almost), the city can focus on this transportation centered project.
i can’t believe such a good video was produced by someone with less than 400 subscribers. keep up the great work!
I know right! His videos are so well made!! We need to make more people aware of this awesome project.
Your comment worked like a lucky charm! As of this moment, there are 401 subscribers! Thank you for your compliment and support!
Dude you’re my hero. Thanks for your efforts to steer Utah from a paved over, car-based hellscape. All of this feels like common sense. Happy there are people like you out there to fight for a more humane living environment for all, regardless of whether they own a vehicle or not.
Hope SLC can pull this off. While Denver’s Union Station and the adjoining neighborhood are great, they really missed a huge opportunity by leaving the tracks at-grade instead of building a train box. Now Denver is forever stuck with a stub-end passenger station and what should be cohesive, modern neighborhood that is still fragmented by rail tracks. Really hope SLC learns from DEN and doesn’t cheap out on this project.
Denver did so many things right, and provided most of the inspiration behind our original proposal. But you are right, the stub-end station and bifurcated neighborhood will impose limitations on future success. It's a good lesson for us to learn.
Build an EL not hard
I’m becoming incredibly passionate about this project, it has the potential to revolutionize SLC transit and make our rail infrastructure great again!
No time like the present to jump in and help!
That would be amazing for Salt Lake City. Brightline WEST can extend to Rio Grande Depot from Las Vegas with stops in Mesquite, St. George, Cedar City, Provo and Sandy before SLC. Maybe extend to Boise by 2040.
That would be amazing and considering how isolated the southeast is already it could provide huge economic boosters for those who either don’t want to drive long distances or can’t afford the plane tickets. They should also avoid the disaster that is Amtrak and make the rail actually affordable
I was coming on here to say the same thing.If Bright Line West really wanted to do something good then they would make a Hub in Las Vegas and Connect to Salt Lake City and Phoenix to make it worth their wild.
Maybe a bullet train that reaches 300 mph
@@AspiredLife It would have to be completely straight and elevated for that to happen and the U.S ain't doing that.
@@AndreBeverly I’m unsure for need of a straight elevated tunnel at this time in history. I do understand that government bureaucracies get in the way, but thank God Utah is not California
See you all at the public event on Dec. 14th in SLC!
What a great video! It really explains why we need to make this plan a reality. It also is very upbeat! Cannot wait for more videos and cannot wait till the public event on the 14th!
Great shortened explanation! Thanks for working so hard to make this plan happen, keep it up!
Thanks! It isn't just me working hard - there are a lot of people who really want to see this concept happen. I can't wait to meet up with everyone on the 14th!
That is an amazing idea!!!
I really wish I worked out of the SLC area to be able to support this. I'm stuck in the ABQ area, but the few times I've been to SLC, I've been amazed at the city the way it is now and this would only make it better. I wish you nothing but luck in getting this common sense project to come to fruition!
I was just down in ABQ last weekend, I thought that a train box would be good for you all as well especially if Rail Runner gets more frequent. I bet they would appreciate you commenting about the project to help the information spread!!
As a slc resident I would much rather see rail and public transit infrastructure get a much needed hand in Utah. The faster we can migrate from car infrastructure the better. I would love nothing more than to be able to take the train and bike to work every day but sadly it’s not quite expansive enough. First is public awareness campaigns because I’m pretty sure most people don’t even know about this plan
If you like this idea make sure you contact all your elected officials to make it happen.
Honestly wouldn’t it take just as much time as trax though? People don’t ride trax because it takes so long.
This plan really is well thought out. The problem and it’s effects were identified and a solution was drafted to fix it.
I have only one question, how does ventilation work with diesel trains running underneath the city streets?
@@pizzajona There would need to be a sufficient number of vents up to the surface, similar to the covered portions of the RETRAK trench in Reno NV. Similar structures can be found around City Creek Mall to get fume out of the subterranean parking garages.
@@CSLenhart thanks. How do you make it so the smoke doesn’t impact the pedestrian experience?
@pizzajona The easiest way is to keep the vents far away from pedestrian areas. Either in the middle of the street, or have ventilation structures that are taller than a pedestrian. See Reno's Locomotive Plaza for an example.
Bravo Christian!
Awesome job explaining it man! It's gotta happen.
I hope it does! It would be amazing if it did a true by the people for the people project.
It should be rebranded as.........
the Rio Grande CENTRAL Plan
imbuing it with an air of inevitability around its already all-around super sound core concept.
Hmmm, it has a nice ring to it... "Next stop, Salt Lake City, Rio Grande Central. Transfer here to the TRAX downtown circulator and other bus and rail connections...."
I am really hopeful this plan happens. It would be great if we can get some federal grants to help pay for this. All of those rail yards rail crossings and bridge viaducts have always driven me nuts It is a nightmare walking and driving in that area.
You should go to the event on the 14th of December. They will be reviewing the city's Screening Analysis and talking about cost, design and impact!
great video, thoroughly enjoyed
The only thing that would make this project even better would be taking the freeway and also putting it in an underground box where the freightyard is today!
Agreed.
They are studying that right now, they would Cap i15 from North Temple to 1300 S
That would be a nice idea but Massachusetts tried that with its Big Dig and succeeded, but it almost bankrupted itself!
Great video, man. Have Salt Lake UTA and Amtrak seen this project with good eyes?
UTA has seen it and is watching its progress. Salt Lake City is pushing ahead with a feasibility study, which is really exciting! I don't know if Amtrak has any opinions yet.
@@CSLenhart we don't want another Miami International Airport station built where amtrak screws up...
awesome video and im not from SLC but i still learned a lot of valuable info!
This is a great idea and a great video! The only thing I don't like is the modern architecture you propose next to the historical station building. Traditional architecture is just so much better and more timeless: The underground station should try to recreate the same architectural style as the depot.
For the time being, we've chosen something as eye-catching as we could in order to get attention and explore the possibilities. The real designs will be drawn up much, much later. And I agree that classic architecture is timeless and cannot be duplicated - that is why we are working to return the Rio Grande Depot to service!
I agree, 100%
@@CSLenhart Actually it can. There's a brand new city in Guatemala that uses traditional Latin American architecture and town planning design.
I love it, let's do it
I love this plan. I would much rather the state, that is us the tax payers, pay for this instead of the ridiculous "entertainment" district that is going mainly benefit the developers instead of the people who actually live here. The Rio Grande Plan would actually be the best thing to revitalize downtown. Salt Lake City government officials are always touting how they want to make this a walkable and beautiful city but do the opposite with their backroom deals with developers. We need plans and architecture that actually benefit the people that live here and really make SLC a globally recognized, capital city.
Not in SLC anymore but I love keeping up with the rail infrastructure! This is great content. Like, subscribed and commented. Keep it up!
I'm a big fan of this project. It should happen and hopefully by 2050 it will become reality. The only issue I have is with the statements regarding reconnecting the east and the west sides (6:10) of the city. With the Rio Grande Plan, the east side will push westward but it will still meet the massive barrier that is I-15. The east and west sides will never really reconnect until that freeway/interstate is removed, rerouted, or buried. Thanks for the video.
I completely agree that I-15 is a significant barrier, but I also don't think it is nearly as divisive as the railroad tracks. At least the freeway is grade separated, doesn't block traffic, and isn't the site of repeated pedestrian fatalities. It is also a much bigger deal to relocate a freeway than it is for railroad tracks... I already stated my thoughts on that idea in a separate video:
ua-cam.com/video/drMAK7t3-eA/v-deo.htmlsi=zxFdqNyXbsCxmOgM&t=8m52s
@@CSLenhart yeah while the freeway bottlenecks east-west traffic, imagine walking from the west side and immediately being in the city again on the east side after going under the freeway. Massive difference from what it's like now with the viaducts and railyards.
I was just sitting at a trax crossing in Midvale thinking dang I wish these tracks were below grade. 😂
Two new videos since announcing the unveiling of the study results-would it be safe to assume whatever’s in that report is the cause of this enthusiasm?
You'll have to come to the event to find out! Hope to see you there!
Yes!
I will make videos regardless, because I really do believe this is a good cause to be involved with - but the amount of progress being made is very encouraging! I can't wait to discuss it all on the 14th!
@cslenhart
I think you need to address concerns. If you read comments on KSL people seem to think that homeless people will be sleeping in the below grade train box or using nasty bathrooms down there and that kind of stuff. My understanding is that their won't be any room for homeless or people just loitering around. Also I would think that people would use restrooms in the Rio grande train station. Can you please clarify on this here? Also in a future updated video?
Homeless people are gonna do their business wherever they can find if bathrooms aren’t available.
I am hearing some rumbling that both the FTA and our local UTA/DOT are very nervous about the sticker shock. I know we initially estimated this project for $500mil. And the newest assessment is showing $3 billion, much of that because of the pumping situation with ground water the further west you get. How can we turn that feeling around towards a more optimistic view? Obviously we can't move anything along until we get those with the power to move a project to the funding category. Do we still feel like it's realistic to happen in the near term?
They should build an NHL arena on this land, with access to transportation and creating an entertainment center, this would be a huge win for Salt Lake City
I agree, that would be ideal.
A truly imaginative plan!
Thank you! ❤️
We need a speed train from slc to cedar to St. George and beyond.
MAKE THE WEST SIDE BEAUTIFUL
New Video 👀
YES
Why hasn't anyone addressed the groundwater concern. In Utah we have entire neighborhoods where people don't have basements because we have shallow ground-water elevation, and the Salt Lake Basin is a major liquefaction zone. In fact, the zone proposed for the RGP is where liquefaction risk is at its highest. The video mentioned there are tunnels in various other cities, but they all have very difference geographies.
Even if tunnels WERE constructed, the cost would eat up so much of any project's cost, as much of the infrastructure would have to be dedicated to water reclamation and the maintenance costs would eat into potential benefits. I could see myself as more of an ally rather than a skeptic if I saw more of the plan's proponents could help me address some of these concerns.
There is a cost and impact screening analysis on the city's website. That study mentions the ground water and how to the Rio Grande Plan addresses it. You can also learn more about the project's ins and outs at the December 14th 2023 public meeting. It seems that it will also be streamed on Christian's channel!
@@FrederickJenny thank you!
We need to get this done 3-5 billion?? Okay WE NEED TO GET THIS DONE!!!
I heard a state, regional or city planning agency hired consultants to estimate the cost and they came up with a price tag of _3 billion USD!_ Would it still break even at that point?
In the long run, yes, I believe it can bring in more money than it costs.
In the short term, it's much cheaper to close the railroad crossings this way than trying to grade separate them in place.
Important video. Well done.
You bring my valid ideas to the table.
The airport was supposed to cost $3B...now it's $5B.
The prison is over $1B.
The Point will be a multibillion dollar project.
The feeding frenzy of developers, construction companies, LLC and the Legislature is well documented in Utah. The State is on big friends and family program.
The housing crisis on the WF will not be addressed by this LLC feeding frenzy.
The double tracking of the Frontrunner will take care of that need.
If you really want to reduce the car culture there have free buses and Trax like they do on poor air quality days. Most people I knew on the WF drove to church when it was three blocks away.
This is a real estate development masquerading as a transportation and housing plan.
Do I trust the Legislature to do the right thing?
Not at all.
Keep it simple. Bus rapid transit, more frequent buses, ebikes and housing for the majority.
Faster, cheaper and more realistic.
what is the rio grande plan !???!! 0:24
THIS has SlC punk vibes Radical man
Totally, man!
cool came from youtube recommend on mobile
Awesome! Give it a thumbs up so we can get more people checking out this awesome plan!
did sub now
Thank you! More to come soon!
This should be advertised
Thank you!
We're doing our best to get the word out to the public with a few social media channels. One of the best things you can do to help, besides writing to your elected representatives, is to introduce the idea to your own social circles. With enough public support, anything is possible!
Railroaders pronounce it RYE-OH
How long would this take?
Would it be done by 2034 for the Winter Olympics?
I hope this happens!
Creating a transit-oriented neighborhood only works if you create a transit network. When TOD centers on a single line, it often falls short. One of the more special things about the train box is electrification - in other words, SLC is trying to create SEPTA, much like Denver RTD. Good for commuters, but not good for lifestyle, and we've seen so much shift in commuting that pre-pandemic densification plans aren't always panning out.
Utah is unique in that all of the major locations are in a straight line, it's geographically condensed by the lake and the valley and is not the same as Philly.
This would be the nexus of a commuter/regional line, 2-3 TRAX light rail lines, and increased Amtrak services to/from SF/Denver/Boise/Las Vegas. Definitely not just a one-trick pony!
Would be great for the Olympics
Seriously! So many other winter Olympic hosts, such as Russia, China, and Korea, all built new HSR lines to make a national statement. I'm not expecting HSR in Utah, but it would be amazing to be able to construct something here that represents a positive can-do American spirit.
@cnj420 Olympics are an expensive drag
@@longiusaescius2537 But if done right can be helpful for the community as a whole. These Olympics already have most of the sports based infrastructure in place. Now its about getting the people moving infrastructure. That is where this project will come into play!
they are fun though? plus many cities can become ghost towns after olympics but SLC thrived after and after now growing the olympics returning would only boom its growth further @@longiusaescius2537
:)
@@katothecato5843 :D
This feels like china early 2000s energy 😅😅😅😊😊😊
No train crosses through 900 South at 80mph. I agree with how great the project is, but please be truthful in the facts.
Northbound trains absolutely do remain at-speed through 900 South - or at least they used to before PTC when I was a Train Host.
What speeds do you see through that crossing now?
@@CSLenhart Under 60, then 45 or less by 800 South going north, and usually under 40 mph going south while still building speed. Long story short, if people would heed the warning devices and STAY OUT of the crossings until they are cleared(gates up & lights OFF), they wouldn't get hit.
@c216mohl Ah, my mistake then. I will stop stating specific speeds in future videos.
@@CSLenhart Once again, thanks for the reply. I really think there should be support for the project, and that it would be completely AMAZING to see it become reality. Looking forward to more videos. :D
@@c216mohl if you like the project come to their event on December 14th at Industry SLC at 6:30 PM!
Dude, your delusional. Do you think SLC residents can pay for this?
This project is definitely the appropriate scale for the Wasatch Front. The new SLC airport terminal has cost $5 billion all said and done, and a proposed I-15 rebuild between SLC and Farmington is estimated to cost $4 billion.
The Rio Grande plan is perfectly in-line with either of these projects.
*you're
and your comment makes no sense. SLC residents would pay for this and then get paid back with all the land it opens up for economic development.