Crews in Murray found a freshly dug hole under a Utah Transit Authority TRAX line on Tuesday, carved out beneath the overpass at 425 W. Winchester St. UTA officials say a homeless man likely dug the underground shelter in an effort to stay warm and find a place to sleep. The agency reports that the digging did not cause structural damage and that trains continued to run through the area.
UTA spokesperson Gavin Gustafson told KUTV that the same person is believed to have done this before, and that crews recently uncovered the new excavation under the Winchester Street overpass. "The only other incident that we’re aware of, at least recently, was by this same person," Gustafson said.
Gustafson urged people to steer clear of digging near support structures, warning that it can put the person digging and the transit system itself at risk. Speaking to KUTV, he added that he did not yet have an exact repair cost for this latest hole but noted that "it was at least $10,000, and this person was billed for that" the last time UTA had to fill in a similar excavation.
UTA fines and safety rules
UTA's published customer fee schedule on UTA lists fines for encroachment and right-of-way violations, and the agency maintains a citation payment page on UTA for settling citations. Those rules give the agency formal tools to charge for damage or unauthorized activity on transit property.
Why this matters
The discovery highlights the collision between safety rules and the realities of people living outdoors along transit corridors. Digging so close to tracks and support structures can endanger the person seeking shelter as well as riders, while leaving UTA on the hook for costly repairs. For now, the agency says crews found no damage at the Winchester overpass and TRAX service there stayed up and running.
