9-Line and Fleet Block Get $11.5M

Salt Lake City said on July 7 that it had secured $11.5 million to remake parts of the 9-Line corridor and the long-planned Fleet Block site with more trees, shade and public space. The money comes from the Bezos Earth Fund’s Greening America’s Cities initiative, which selected Salt Lake City as one of eight U.S. recipients in 2026. City officials said the funding will pay for greenway work along the 9-Line Trail and help build out public open space at Fleet Block. Mayor Erin Mendenhall said the investment is meant to make the corridor “more welcoming, more usable, and more connected.” ### Where is the money going? The $11.5 million package is split between two projects. Salt Lake City said $9.5 million will go to the 9-Line Trail corridor, while about $2 million will support open-space work at Fleet Block. The 9-Line money will be used across 9.5 blocks, or about 1.7 miles, where the city plans to convert gravel park strips into planted green ribbons. (slc.gov) The city said that work includes 285 trees, 350 water-wise shrubs, drip irrigation, new soil, benches, tables, wayfinding and other placemaking features. The Fleet Block share is tied to the site’s future park space. Bezos Earth Fund said the project will turn a 2.4-acre former industrial brownfield into a public green space, while Salt Lake City’s Fleet Block materials describe roughly three acres of planned public open space within the larger redevelopment. (slc.gov) ### What exactly is changing along the 9-Line? The 9-Line Trail is an east-west urban corridor that already carries bike and pedestrian traffic through Salt Lake City’s west side and Central Ninth area. City officials said the new work is designed to make the route more usable for pedestrians, cyclists, scooter riders and bus passengers during hotter summer months. (bezosearthfund.org) KSL reported the project will convert about 3.2 acres of underused gravel along the trail into shaded urban forest and waterwise gardens. Axios reported the combined planting plan for the 9-Line and Fleet Block totals more than 400 trees and other plants. Mayor Erin Mendenhall said in the city announcement that “trees, plants, and shade change how a place feels” and help make walking and biking safer while supporting nearby businesses in summer heat. (slc.gov) Tom Taylor, chief executive and president of the Bezos Earth Fund, said green spaces should not be “a luxury.” (ksl.com) ### What is Fleet Block, and why does it matter here? Fleet Block is an 8.75-acre city-owned property bordered by 800 and 900 South and 300 and 400 West. Salt Lake City said the block had housed city vehicle maintenance, repair and fueling operations until 2009 and has been under redevelopment planning for more than a decade. The city’s current plan divides the property into parcels linked by mid-block streets and walkways. (slc.gov) Salt Lake City says the largest parcel, on the southeastern corner, is being turned into public open space, while two northern parcels along 800 South are slated for mixed-use development with public benefits. KSL reported in March that the city had unveiled an early look at part of the Fleet Block redevelopment and that construction was likely to begin in 2027 after planning is completed. (slc.gov) ### Why did city officials frame this as a climate project? The Bezos Earth Fund said the grant came through its Greening America’s Cities initiative, a program launched in 2023 to turn underused urban land into parks and green space. (slc.gov) The organization said it has now invested $150 million across 11 cities and is targeting places with the biggest gaps in access to green space. (ksl.com) Salt Lake City said the new trees and plantings are intended to cool the corridor, improve air quality and add shade in neighborhoods that use the trail and live nearby. Axios described the effort as part of the city’s response to hotter outdoor conditions. (slc.gov) ### What happens next? Salt Lake City’s Fleet Block page says the next phase includes continued community feedback on public open space and artwork, along with updates on mixed-use development and mid-block streets. The city’s Shape SLC project page says the open-space component is intended to serve the Granary District neighborhood and the broader city. (slc.gov) The city has not published a full construction schedule in the July 7 announcement. As of this week, the clearest next milestones are additional design and public-input steps for Fleet Block and implementation planning for the 9-Line corridor improvements described in the grant announcement. (slc.gov) (slc.gov)