Salt Lake:Official development news thread

[wrendog]

I really hope that with these new UTA bus routes and times that I will be able to take TRAX (and future commuter rail.. yeehaw!) to work with a quick bus transfer. As it is right now, there is no good bus connection from 2100 s station to SSL city hall where I work. It would take well over an hour to make it work. Come on UTA! Hook me up!

[Comrade]

I can't wait until they get light rail up to SugarHouse, then I would just ride my bike down to the station and hit downtown that way.

As it is now, I normally drive down to the station on 3300 South, which is kinda far from my house.

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by Makid

SLC,

From what I read, the LDS Church will be using the building until they have finished building and modifying spaces at the Triad Center. They will then Raze the building build more parking for the Conference Center and a possible other building ontop of the parking.

I think that when that happens, the parking lot to the east of this building will also be razed and then replaced with underground parking, linked to the Conference Center Parking Plaza. What will be built on top of the new parking structure is anyones guess at this point. I really doubt it will be a surface parking lot as the LDS church really hates surface parking lots near it's buildings.

Wow, The LDS is doing so much for downtown with the whole city creek center development and moving these two colleges "Business" and "BYU center" to the trade center in downtown. And now they are building more underground parking near their buildings. I give them a thumps up.

Downtown needs more students and people on the streets. Downtown needs more retail at street level, more office space in new towers, alot more Condos and other housing units are needed in downtown as well open green space. and far less surface parking lots.
And the Church are doing all the above.

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by Comrade Reynolds

I can't wait until they get light rail up to SugarHouse, then I would just ride my bike down to the station and hit downtown that way.

As it is now, I normally drive down to the station on 3300 South, which is kinda far from my house.

I agree, Having light rail run up to Sugarhouse is a most. As well as having those other Trax lines running to other parts of the Valley. What drives me nuts is that I work at the Airport and tje airport will not get it's line til at least 2015. It's on the bottom of the list. Think of all the people driving in and out of the airport each and every day.
So I'm all for more light rail. Til then I just puts tons of miles on my car.

[DevdogAZ]

Comrade, I'm not going to argue with you anymore, as there really is no point to it. However, I have two issues with your most recent response.

1. You continue to mention curved roads as if they are evil. What is wrong with curved roads and cul-de-sacs and what is so great about straight roads?

2. You say that stronger zoning ordinances isn't placing limits on private property rights. I say that's exactly the definition of limiting private property rights.

[Urbano]

1. You continue to mention curved roads as if they are evil. What is wrong with curved roads and cul-de-sacs and what is so great about straight roads?

I'm not Comrade but I'll answer this one. Curved roads usually (not always) translate into fewer entrances and exits to and from a neighborhood creating more traffic because everyone has to get in and out of large subdivisions through fewer streets than they would if there were more of a grid and there were more options. Cul-de-sacs aggravate this situation.

[arkhitektor]

I personally I am waiting for Frontrunner to be finished. We just left our apartment in the city and bought a Condo in Clearfield. We are right next to the future station, but until then, I enjoy a loooooong I-15 Commute and dream of whizzing by on a train as I crawl along on the freeway next to the tracks that are going in. The only thing that has me worried is today's article from the Tribune that says that base fares will be $3 plus 50 cents for each additional stop. At that rate it will cost me over $10 to get to work and back each day, far more than I currently spend on gas.

And as for the ongoing urban vs. suburban debate, there are pros and cons to each, and they can certainly exist together. Before we had kids, my wife and I loved living downtown, but now with a family, we really can't afford to live there anymore, and enjoy our new place in Davis county. I think that as long as people have smart options (like FrontRunner or TRAX) other than cars to get around suburban life poses no threat to the American way of life. There are just as many places to walk in Clearfield as there were downtown. And just because we were only 2 blocks from the grocery store when we lived in Salt Lake, in no way meant that we walked there to do our weekly shopping. I see nothing wrong with the pattern of living in a suburban area, commuting to work in the city using public transit, driving to the grocery store and around town on weekends and walking around the neighborhood for leisure.

[jedikermit]

Originally Posted by SLC Projects

Wow, The LDS is doing so much for downtown with the whole city creek center development and moving these two colleges "Business" and "BYU center" to the trade center in downtown. And now they are building more underground parking near their buildings. I give them a thumps up.

Downtown needs more students and people on the streets. Downtown needs more retail at street level, more office space in new towers, alot more Condos and other housing units are needed in downtown as well open green space. and far less surface parking lots.
And the Church are doing all the above.

That'll be interesting to see...I hope they do expand both BYU-SLC and LDSBC, and get more housing in for students down there. And there are a few blocks that are pretty darn empty and are just waiting for...something. Housing? Church Office Building II? I generally like what the LDS Church does with its property and landscaping, but most of their part of downtown closes down at night. I think an influx of residents (especially those rowdy BYU students) would be great for the downtown core.

[wrendog]

Originally Posted by arkhitektor

The only thing that has me worried is today's article from the Tribune that says that base fares will be $3 plus 50 cents for each additional stop.

whoa.. that's pricy! so if you start from brigham city, it's 3 bucks PLUS 50 cents a stop? that would make it 10 bucks one way! that is not worth it! I live in Lehi, and I would pay 3 bucks each way, but that's about it!

[arkhitektor]

Originally Posted by wrendog

whoa.. that's pricy! so if you start from brigham city, it's 3 bucks PLUS 50 cents a stop? that would make it 10 bucks one way! that is not worth it! I live in Lehi, and I would pay 3 bucks each way, but that's about it!

Here's the article from this morning's Tribune:

----------------------------------------------

UTA chief proposes series of rate hikes
The Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 03/01/2007 08:33:37 AM MST


Posted: 8:35 AM- SALT LAKE CITY - Residents may soon have to dig deeper into their pockets to ride the bus or TRAX.
The Utah Transit Authority's general manager, John Inglish, wants to increase the rates for UTA buses and TRAX in January and July 2008, then again in January 2009.
Currently, rates for buses and TRAX are $1.50 for adults. That price would go up to $1.60 in July 2008, $1.75 in January 2008 and then $2 in January 2009, under the proposal.
Prices for the new FrontRunner commuter rail line are also included in the proposal. It says the base fare will be $2.50 with 50 cents added for each additional stop. The base fare would then go up to $3 in January 2009.
The rate hikes are part of a proposed fare structure that is expected to be finalized in the coming months. There will be seven public hearings on the proposal.

----------------------------------------------

The fare for Frontrunner would be $2.50 until Jan 2009, but considering that it isn't scheduled to be operational until mid 2008, the fare will basically be $3.00 plus 50 cents per stop.

How would you manage such a fare structure anyway? Do I not pay until I actually get off the train or what? The prices do seem a little bit steep, especially if they are going to entice many people to give up their cars. My fear is that Legacy Parkway is going to be completed around the same time as Commuter Rail and more Davis County commuters are going to choose the new road as an alternative than will choose mass transit, especially if riding the train will cost significantly more that driving will.

[wrendog]

anyone have any comparable prices for these types of commuter trains? like the ABQ one?

[arkhitektor]

Originally Posted by wrendog

anyone have any comparable prices for these types of commuter trains? like the ABQ one?

Jeepers! I'm moving to New Mexico:

http://www.nmrailrunner.com/tickets.asp

Granted the system is new and they are running intoductory fares until later this year, Rain Runner is free if you live in Valencia County or between downtown and the Las Lunas station, 3 bucks round trip for everyone else.

Even their permanent fare is is only going to be $4 for an all-day pass.

[SLC Projects]

What? $3 + 50 cents for each stop to ride frontrunner? $1.75-$2.00 per day to ride buses or Trax? What are the people at UTA thinking? Are they trying to score people back into their cars?
It only cost me around $20.00-$25.00 per week and a half to fill up my tank. I'll stick with my car then.

[Makid]

I drive approximately 60 miles a day round trip on my commute to work and home. I fill up once a week at roughly $20.00.

I would love to take the bus/trax if it worked for me, sadly it doesn't. But the new fares are just insane. Unless gas tops $3.00 at the low end, it will be cheaper to drive for just about everyone.

[SLC Projects]

Here are a few updated pics on some projects....



IV Gateway Tower ( Well not really a tower, more like a building. )


This 8-story office building is on the North end of the Gateway. It's just about finish.

[SLC Projects]

V Gateway office building


This 5-story office building will be on the South end of the gateway Mall.

Crews just broken ground a few weeks ago.

[SLC Projects]

And some pics of the....

LDS Church Library

This 5-story building is right across the street from the Church office builidng on North Temple.







Still not much to see since all the work is still under ground. Not sure if that's going to be a underground parking or just a basement or what?

[DevdogAZ]

Does UTA not offer a weekly or monthly pass at greatly discounted rates for frequent riders? Most metro areas that have decent mass transit and want to encourage commuters to ride offer some kind of pass so riders aren't purchasing individual tix each day. I'd think that they'd do something like that rather than charge people $3-5 each way every day.

[BuiLDing GuRL]

Originally Posted by DevdogAZ

Does UTA not offer a weekly or monthly pass at greatly discounted rates for frequent riders? Most metro areas that have decent mass transit and want to encourage commuters to ride offer some kind of pass so riders aren't purchasing individual tix each day. I'd think that they'd do something like that rather than charge people $3-5 each way every day.

I believe I heard on the radio this morning that the monthly cost for a pass on lightrail is going to be $120. I could be wrong, it would be the first time.

[i-215]

ARE YOU SERIOUS? $120/mo!

I think my total car expenses wre like $180/mo with insurance and gas back when I was doing a lot of commuting. Of course, I didn't have a car payment, buy that seems a bit steep for a monthly pass.