SALT LAKE CITY — A new proposal is being prepared that will make Rio Grande a working railroad station again.

The historic Salt Lake City Depot, located west of Pioneer Park, was closed to passenger service in 1999, but one organization has a big plan for how the state can revitalize the historic building.

Friends of the Rio Grande is trying to reopen the depot while renovating the surrounding area. They say it will improve transport safety and efficiency and open up 70 acres of industrial land for new development.

The plan involves moving trains like the UTA FrontRunner underground and removing several elevated railroad crossings, believing this will make the area safer for pedestrians and emergency workers.

“We are trying to improve safety by putting trains in train boxes underground,” explained plan co-author Christian Lenhart. “We can close four, almost four and a half railroad crossings, and almost every year there are casualties at these crossings.”

Organizers say there is no exact cost for the plan, but they believe the proceeds from developments around the Rio Grande will help pay for the project. Other cities such as Reno, Denver, and Portland have completed similar projects and have been successful.

Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall mentioned the plan during her speech earlier this week and said the city has applied for a federal grant to study the plan further.

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