Many were surprised to find that the Frontrunner stations south of American Fork were closed over the break, with a bus bridge to the American Fork station. This interruption in service was due to the construction of a new station in Vineyard.
“This new station will have a very good effect on the communities allowing for students to get to UVU, but it will also be good for myself since I’ll be able to get to my work which is in Vineyard,” said Masato Welming, a student studying computer science.
“I agree with the decision to add the station, the timing (of this schedule change) and the construction thereof, could not be worse,” said Duncan Sharp, a former student at UVU. “I checked Google maps … and it had no information on the closing of Orem and Provo stations.”
While the new station will provide more people with access to the Frontrunner, the poor communication surrounding the closures created challenges for several over the break.
In an interview with Deseret News, Vineyard mayor Julie Fullmer stated, “If you know anything about Vineyard and our 10,000% growth rate, you might drive here next week and see some roads, and then a promenade, and then a building and bunch of new faces that we’ll be welcoming into this community.”
Fullmer isn’t far from the mark. “When looking at places with at least 1,000 residents by July 1, 2019, Vineyard takes the population growth trophy in a landslide,” said KSL News in an article from 2020. “The city … virtually popped up out of nowhere over the past decade. Fewer than 150 people lived there in 2010 before old Geneva Steel land became available for home building; it had an estimated 11,866 residents in 2019, which is an 8,437% increase over the course of a decade.”
Along with the explosive growth, there have been many attempts to accommodate all the newfound residents in Vineyard. With the reports of growth have also been reports of a UVU Vineyard campus. “Of course, the project will also open the door for transit in Vineyard, where options remain light for now.” reported the Deseret News. “Other plans for the surrounding area of the station include a Utah Valley University Vineyard campus from land located to the south and east of the new station site.” Whether or not these proposals will go into affect and what they may look like is still a mystery, but the prospect itself is exciting.
The new Vineyard station is slated for completion in spring 2022. For more information about transit, visit the Utah Transit Authority’s website.
