Skip to main content

Public transportation has paid off for Salt Lake City region, study shows

A public transportation technology partnership between Salt Lake City and Siemens in the US has resulted in 1,300 new jobs that have spurred an estimated $225 million in value to the local economy, according to a study conducted by the Economic Development Research Group, a Boston-based research company Siemens hired to assess the economic impact of the project. Since 1996, Siemens has manufactured and delivered 117 light rail vehicles for UTA’s TRAX light rail streetcar lines. The company is building t
June 25, 2015 Read time: 3 mins
A public transportation technology partnership between Salt Lake City and 189 Siemens in the US has resulted in 1,300 new jobs that have spurred an estimated $225 million in value to the local economy, according to a study conducted by the Economic Development Research Group, a Boston-based research company Siemens hired to assess the economic impact of the project.

Since 1996, Siemens has manufactured and delivered 117 light rail vehicles for UTA’s TRAX light rail streetcar lines. The company is building the customised light rail vehicles out of its 800-person rail manufacturing hub in Sacramento, California. Results indicate that the light rail extension reduced residents’ dependence on private vehicles and spurred high-density development, thereby decreasing the region’s carbon footprint, improving local air quality, and proactively managing traffic congestion.

The study looked beyond well-documented short-term spending effects to also examine long-term economic benefits like spatial efficiency, private sector investment, and cost savings that are reinvested elsewhere. For instance, major companies including Adobe, eBay, Goldman Sachs, Overstock.com, and Workday have made office location decisions based, in part, by proximity to the TRAX and FrontRunner stations.

“The Siemens cars that form the backbone of our TRAX light rail system and recently opened S-Line Streetcar here in Salt Lake City are reliably getting tens of thousands of our residents where they need to go every day,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker. “Siemens technology is integral in our efforts to get cars off the roads, address our local air quality challenges and continue to improve the liveability, and sustainability, of our community.”

"Siemens has been a great partner for our TRAX light rail system," said UTA president and CEO Michael Allegra. "TRAX has been reliable and a success by any measure with some of the highest ridership numbers in the entire UTA system. The economic development along our lines has been steady and a huge benefit to the entire community."

"Utah's economy is leading the nation and this reports shows part of our success can be attributed to our commitment to transportation investment as a state," said Abby Albrecht, director of Utah Transportation Coalition. "As we look to the future, building on these investments wisely will ensure we continue to economically prosper."

“We’re proud that our long-standing technology partnership with the 5583 Utah Transit Authority has resulted not only in economic growth but job creation throughout the Salt Lake City region,” said Michael Cahill, president of Siemens Rolling Stock. “Rail projects like these are proof that when you spend on infrastructure, you get a multiplier effect that boosts productivity and attractiveness for investment.”

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Siemens offers Stamford a ‘bird’s eye view’
    April 29, 2019
    Stamford, Connecticut is a vibrant, diverse community overlooking the Long Island Sound, within commuting distance of New York City. Stamford hosts the largest financial district in the greater New York metro area outside of Manhattan and is home to a high concentration of large corporations and corporate HQs. With a population of 130,000, Stamford is Connecticut’s third largest city and the fastest-growing municipality in the state. Like many US cities, Stamford had previously relied on an antiquated traf
  • Consortium to study UK eHighway feasibility 
    August 11, 2021
    Partners including Siemens hope overhead electricity lines will serve major roads by 2030s
  • Reporting on the direction of the US's ITS research effort
    January 19, 2012
    The US ITS Joint Program Office has been working with industry stakeholders to help define the form of future research projects. Here, the Office's James Pol discusses progress and future goals
  • Transport Systems Catapult boss: ‘We can’t build our way out of congestion’
    March 4, 2019
    The UK Transport Systems Catapult’s CEO Paul Campion talks to Colin Sowman about helping companies develop tomorrow’s solutions – and explains why you can never build your way to empty roads The future of mobility is going to be driven by services.” That’s the opening position of Paul Campion, CEO of the Transport Systems Catapult (TSC) – the UK government organisation set up to help boost transport-related employment and the economy. Campion was previously with IBM and describes himself as a ‘techno o