The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) is implementing a 15-mile light rail transit (LRT) line from downtown Salt Lake City on State Street parallel to I-15 to suburban areas to the south. The South LRT line will operate at-grade on city streets in downtown Salt Lake City (two miles) and in a railroad right-of-way (13 miles) owned by UTA to the suburban community of Sandy. The total cost of this project is estimated at $312.49 million (escalated dollars). The South LRT is estimated to carry 14,000 passengers per day in the year 2000 (opening year) and 23,000 passengers per day in 2010. The South LRT project is one component of the Interstate 15 corridor improvement initiative, which includes reconstruction of a parallel segment of I-15.

In August 1995, FTA and UTA entered into a Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) for $237.39 million in Section 5309 New Start funds. TEA-21 Section 3030(a)(74) authorized the South LRT for final design and construction. Through FY 1999, Congress has appropriated $199.47 million for right-of-way acquisition, engineering, design and construction activities within the scope of the FFGA. An additional $6.60 million in Section 5309 New Starts funds was appropriated prior to the FFGA

FTA issued the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) in September 1994 and signed the Record of Decision in November 1994. Construction is underway and is estimated to be completed by December 2000.