Having good mass transit is like having good circulation. It can form the pulse of the rapid, efficient transport of a city’s population; stimulating growth, business, and cultural life. Growing cities are, thus, motivated to build such systems. However, getting consensus on the how, when, and how much, can be a major pain in the neck. The Utah Transit authority rolled out its “Trax” transit system in 1999 in Salt Lake City amidst public hostility, protests from anti-rail banners, and the skepticism of Salt Lakers who believed no one would give up his or her car.

Luckily, the skeptics were wrong. The 19-mile-long light-rail train line draws 58,000 riders a day, which is more than double what was projected for the year 2020. Public opinion has also turned about-face as the city collects award upon award from environmental groups, including the Sierra Club’s “Green Streets” designation, which recognizes great ideas that transform urban life by saving money, attracting business, and improving quality of life. Proposals are on the table to expand the successful train system out in four directions of the Salt Lake Valley, and voters are deciding on plans to raise taxes that would speed the completion of such projects15 years earlier than originally imagined. Construction might even begin next year.

Says Marc Heileson from the Sierra Club, “The Sierra Club is trying to inspire other cities around the country and saying, ‘You can turn around too.’ Start building communities for people rather than cars, and start having clean air instead of a brown cloud of pollution. Salt Lake right now is an example of somewhere that's going in the right direction.” Salt Lake was even honored by Sierra Magazine as the “Biggest Transit Turnaround.” Looks like this city will be on the right side of the Trax for years to come.

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