Nearly a quarter of the contract work to build FrontRunner commuter rail from Salt Lake City to Provo is complete, but there's plenty of heavy lifting to come.
Specifically, the Utah Transit Authority still must shift Union Pacific freight tracks to the east through the Jordan River narrows near Bluffdale. And earthmovers are busy digging away at the hillside there just to make room for a second track.
There also is the matter of 30 bridges -- 28 more than UTA had to erect for FrontRunner north to Ogden.
"The north project was good practice," said FrontRunner South project manager Steve Meyer.
On Wednesday morning, UTA staffers and several board members toured the 44-mile construction zone for the $850 million project. Although Meyer said 22 percent of the work is done, much of that went toward creating a foundation for the tracks -- not installing the tracks themselves.
Crews have replaced utility lines and graded a path next to the Union Pacific track for FrontRunner's spur. Much of the continuously welded rail is in place next to the route, waiting for ballast rock and ties.
At about 10000 South in Sandy, the concrete supports for a flyover bridge allowing UTA trains to cross the freight route are in place.
About 215 contractor and subcontractor workers are on the job. It's expected to be completed in late 2012, with passenger service starting in 2013.
Crews are digging into the east side of the narrows just to make room for a second set of tracks in the wind tunnel of a canyon that connects Utah and Salt Lake counties via the Jordan River. The tracks will traverse a section of the river that few see, well out of sight of Interstate 15 along some little rapids where construction workers say deer hang out.
"That'll be worth the trip just for the scenic view," UTA General Manager John Inglish said.
