Massive pedestrian bridge opens on 300 North
Oct 18, 2023, 5:26 PM | Updated: Oct 19, 2023, 5:40 am
SALT LAKE CITY — Salt Lake City celebrated the grand opening of a highly anticipated bridge at 300 North.
It was years in the making and it’s finally standing tall, ready to bridge the gap for pedestrians, bikers and runners traveling from east to west Salt Lake.
“Sometimes the trains come and go within a few minutes, but sometimes this crossing is blocked for 20, 30, 45 minutes, or even longer, and the unpredictability can be frustrating for people,” said Jon Larsen, Salt Lake City transportation director.
The 300 North Pedestrian Bridge is done! 🎉 🚶 🚴 🎉
Spanning five rows of tracks, the $6.6 million bridge will provide safe and reliable access for West High students and Westside residents to the school and downtown area.
Ribbon cutting is at 11 a.m., Oct. 18th! Join us! pic.twitter.com/C2ScJo8kLe
— Utah Transit Authority – UTA (@RideUTA) October 11, 2023
The massive pedestrian bridge, located two blocks west of West High School on 300 North spans a rail corridor that includes two Utah Transit Authority and three Union Pacific rail lines. This corridor is considered to be among the most dangerous crossings in the area.
The span means there will be no waiting time for pedestrians to cross, and hopefully, no more close calls for law enforcement.
“We have West High right up here, and many of their students live on the west side of these tracks,” Larsen explained. “We have witnessed and even have video of these kids climbing through these stopped trains, and it’s a major safety concern. It’s just nice to know that if the train stops, you have a safe and easy option to get up and over.”
The bridge is also a main east-west corridor for pedestrians and cyclists accessing the downtown Salt Lake City area and other economic hubs.
