Facility Overview
The commuter parking facility at 4760 S 4300 W (also addressed at 4715–4731 S 4300 W) operates as an official Utah Transit Authority (UTA) cooperative Park and Ride facility situated on the border of Kearns and West Valley City, Utah. Hosted on the expansive grounds of the Kearns East Stake Center, this paved, open-air surface lot provides a vital park-and-ride staging ground for Salt Lake Valley commuters and transit riders. Because the facility is entirely open-air and devoid of multi-level overhead barriers, it offers virtually unlimited vertical headroom clearance. This makes the lot exceptionally accommodating for standard sedans, light-duty utility vehicles, full-size SUVs, extended-bed pickup trucks, and high-profile passenger vans alike.
Prime Location & Nearby Attractions
Strategically situated in the heart of the west Salt Lake Valley, this lot connects drivers with key recreational, civic, and athletic hubs throughout Kearns, Taylorsville, and West Valley City. Prominent local destinations include:
- Utah Olympic Oval (approx. 2.2 miles west / 6 minutes drive): Home of the "Fastest Ice on Earth," featuring international speed skating championships, running tracks, ice hockey leagues, and public recreation.
- Kearns Oquirrh Park Fitness Center & Oquirrh Park (approx. 1.8 miles west): A premier public community athletics hub featuring competition pools, indoor sports complexes, and walking pavilions.
- Valley Fair Mall & Maverik Center (approx. 4.5 miles northeast): Easily accessible via connecting bus transit, offering major shopping, cinema, and live concerts/Utah Grizzlies ECHL hockey.
- Salt Lake Community College – Taylorsville Redwood Campus (approx. 2.5 miles east): Utah's largest higher education campus, served directly by transit running along the 4700 South corridor.
- The Ridge Golf Club (approx. 3 miles southwest): A popular municipal 18-hole championship course nestled against the West Valley foothills.
Access, Navigation & Transit Connectivity
The parking lot features straightforward ingress and egress directly from 4300 West, situated just south of 4700 South (a major east-west multi-lane arterial). Vehicles exiting the facility can quickly turn onto 4700 South, which provides rapid grade-separated access to Bangerter Highway (SR-154) only half a mile to the east and the I-215 Belt Route approximately two miles east. For public transit users, the lot is located just steps from UTA Route 47 (4700 South bus line), offering reliable, frequent service linking directly to the West Valley Central Station (TRAX Green Line) to the north and the Murray North Station (TRAX Blue & Red Lines) to the east.
Facility Amenities & Key Features
- Free Commuter Parking: Complimentary parking provided for active transit patrons using UTA local bus and regional rail connections.
- Open-Air Surface Configuration: Wide drive aisles with clear lane demarcations and zero height restriction barriers, allowing stress-free parking for elevated trucks and roof-rack-equipped vehicles.
- ADA Accessible Stalls: Designated accessible parking spaces located nearest to pedestrian walkways and transit access points.
- Nighttime Visibility: Perimeter pole lighting installed across the lot to maintain visual safety during early morning and late evening commutes.
- Direct Bus Stop Access: Sheltered UTA stops situated along the adjacent 4700 South roadway for rapid transfers.
Ideal For
- Daily Downtown & University Commuters: Drivers wishing to bypass heavy highway traffic along I-15 and I-215 by switching to express bus routes and TRAX light rail lines.
- SLCC Students and Faculty: Direct, seamless bus connectivity along 4700 South to the Taylorsville Redwood Campus.
- Carpoolers and Vanpoolers: An easily identifiable west-side staging destination to meet colleagues and travel together.
- Visitors Attending Local Stake & Civic Functions: Dedicated spaces for attendees participating in scheduled community and regional stake events.
Visitor & Driver Tips
- Transit Compliance: Under UTA guidelines, park-and-ride stalls are reserved specifically for active riders using UTA transit services during their parking period.
- Sunday Parking Restrictions: Because the facility is co-located at an LDS Stake Center, UTA park-and-ride privileges are strictly suspended on Sundays to accommodate local religious services.
- Overnight Stays: Stalls are designed for daytime commuter use; multi-day or extended storage beyond permitted daily transit hours is prohibited and subject to ticketing.
- Winter Preparedness: As an open surface lot in the Salt Lake Valley, early winter mornings may feature snow cover; exercise caution on drive aisles before maintenance plowing.