BYU Central Campus Station opens, increasing campus access for UVX riders

Utah Transit Authority (UTA) opened the BYU Central Campus Station on 900 East last month, giving students traveling on UVX easier access to the heart of campus.

The new station increases access to the Wilkinson Student Center, the Music Building and the Creamery on Ninth.

The addition brings the total to four UVX stations on the BYU campus: BYU Stadium, BYU North Campus, BYU South Campus and the new BYU Central Campus station.

Elena Galbraith, a BYU student, said she takes UVX from her home to work and class.

It usually gets me to the train stops on time and comes pretty close to on schedule, Galbraith said. She mentioned it also makes trips to Utah Valley University easier.

While many are happy about the increased access, some wish the station had been built in a different location.

Kailyn Manahan, a BYU student and UVX user, said she thinks the station will help with getting around, but personally wishes it were placed a little more north.

I would have liked it closer to the Creamery, maybe in between (there) and Heritage (Halls), she said.

Gavin Gustafson, senior public information officer at UTA, said the project was a collaborative effort between the residents, the city of Provo and BYU.

Based on input from these stakeholders, the greater Provo community and its proximity to the BYU North Campus and BYU South Campus stations, this location was identified as the ideal place for BYU Central Campus Station, Gustafson said.

Current BYU students and faculty members can use their BYU ID to ride UTA routes for free by tapping their ID card on the reader when entering and exiting the bus.

UVX began operation in 2018 as a bus rapid transit route connecting BYU and UVU to FrontRunner at Provo Central Station and Orem Central Station. The route also stops near popular locations in Utah Valley, including the Provo City Center Utah Temple, the Provo City Library at Academy Square and University Place in Orem.

UVX is UTAs most-used bus route, with an average of 2 million riders per year over the past three years. It runs every six to 15 minutes during peak hours and every 30 minutes during off-peak hours. UVX does not operate on Sundays.

Much of the UVX route runs in designated bus lanes, helping riders avoid traffic between Orem and Provo. For more information on UTA routes and using a BYU ID as fare, visit the UTA website.