Salt Lake Transit News Thread

[i-215]

Sounds like T. Boone Pickens' plan.

He was saying it would be too hard to convert all the cars to natural gas, so he was proposing we do it to all the trucks. Maybe Sysco is leading the way.

[esirhgih]

FrontRunner base fare drops but at what cost?

I don't know what to think of Paratransit bus service. It provides a needed service to its users, but at an incredibly subsidized rate. It basically amounts to a taxi service and I don't see why UTA should be obligated to provide it at all.

Maybe some other agency could take over that function as it doesn't seem to fall in line with what I would expect a transit authority to be doing in the first place.

Also, as of today, Sandy trains are running all the way to SL Central again.

[shakman]

I read the article earlier this morning. It is rather upsetting that those with disability have to suffer as such. Hopefully something can be worked out so those in need to not have to suffer anymore.

Is the fare decrease a pilot program or permanent?

[MetroFanatic]

I don't know why UTA is saying this mid-jordan trax line will take them until 2012. Out by the 4800 & Old Bingham stop, they've already poured the asphalt for the parking lot. It really looks like they only need the electrical wire and the station before it's done in this area.

[cololi]

Originally Posted by MetroFanatic

I don't know why UTA is saying this mid-jordan trax line will take them until 2012. Out by the 4800 & Old Bingham stop, they've already poured the asphalt for the parking lot. It really looks like they only need the electrical wire and the station before it's done in this area.

It is a pr move. Plus they need vehicles.

[i-215]

Ditto. It makes better sense to say "yup, we'll have it done in two years ... oh wait, it's done a year early!" Then it it to say "it'll be done now, oh wait, we're delayed a year."

[esirhgih]

Does anybody know when the new cars are expected to start arriving? I've noticed that UTA is running a lot of the old un-refurbished trains on the University line lately. They look awful:



I guess this is because of the additional trains they need to operate the green line (Sandy-University) as well. They are using trains from the "bottom of the barrel" and doing little more than putting "TRAX" stickers over the old logos before they put them into service.

[cololi]

I believe the new cars will start arriving in 2011, but will not be used until the new lines are operating. The new cars will be the 70% low floor, so no more stairs to get into the car. there will be stairs on the interior at the ends of each car. A much better vehicle. it is likely to be the same vehicle for future street car lines as well.

[esirhgih]

Does that mean that the current ramps on the ends of each platform will become obsolete in time once all of the older vehicles are phased out?

[i-215]

Nah. It'll make a sweet ride for daredevil paraplegics wanting to catch some air.

[WASDEN]

Found this little article about the Western High-Speed Rail Alliance in a Vegas newspaper. Apparently its a Captain-Planet style conglomeration of local transit athorities that wants to develop high-speed rail conections between Western cities.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/nov/06/rail-alliance-names-first-routes-and-lv-reno-ignor/

Some of the article highlights:

"The current participants in the alliance are the local [Vegas] RTC, the Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County in Reno, the Maricopa Council of Governments in Phoenix, the Utah Transit Authority in Salt Lake City and the Denver Council of Governments. The organizations also have made overtures to the Mid-Region Council of Governments in Albuquerque, but it has not signed on to the alliance yet. They also have made contact with planning organizations in Tucson and Boise as potential future members.

Right now, the alliance is working toward turning itself into a legal non-profit organization. It also will move toward expanding membership to include prospective suppliers and service providers that could be a part of the effort to build high-speed rail in the Southwest."


"the first five routes the alliance will focus on: between Los Angeles and Phoenix; between Las Vegas and Phoenix; between Las Vegas and Salt Lake City; between Salt Lake City and Denver; and between Salt Lake City and Reno"

Don't know much about this "alliance" group, but the author does bring up some good points- that rail routes from SLC to Denver would obviously be geographically challenged, and that the region already has fiercely competitive airline rates. Sounds cool since I love rail transport, but not sure if its feasible.

[ski_steve]

UTA to hold Mid-Jordan TRAX construction open house


WEST JORDAN — The Utah Transit Authority is hosting an open house about construction on the Mid-Jordan light-rail project from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday.

The open house will be at Jordan Hills Elementary, 8892 S. 4800 West. The Mid-Jordan TRAX line will extend southwest from the 6400 South TRAX station through Murray, Midvale, West Jordan and South Jordan, ending at the Daybreak community. UTA expects trains to begin rolling on the line in late 2011.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/70534...ruction-open-house.html?linkTrack=rss-30

[shakman]

Someone correct me if I am making a wrong opinion: I am just aww'ed that SLC seems to stay ahead with its mass transit as compared to cities along the East Coast.

[jtrent77]

Originally Posted by shakman

Someone correct me if I am making a wrong opinion: I am just aww'ed that SLC seems to stay ahead with its mass transit as compared to cities along the East Coast.

I think this all depends on how you are comparing cities. It is actually kind of difficult to compare based on different ages of the cities, populations densities, etc.

I think Utah is slowly leaning more towards mass transit, but right now, while they have the bus system, they mainly just have two light rail lines and a slowly emerging commuter line. It is getting there, but a lot of progress is yet to be made.

[TonyAnderson]

Originally Posted by jtrent77

I think this all depends on how you are comparing cities. It is actually kind of difficult to compare based on different ages of the cities, populations densities, etc.

I think Utah is slowly leaning more towards mass transit, but right now, while they have the bus system, they mainly just have two light rail lines and a slowly emerging commuter line. It is getting there, but a lot of progress is yet to be made.

That's sort of understating it - 3 lines with Downtown, University, and Sandy. The commuter rail is up and going - but the main thing is they're not just talking about expansions, almost everything's already in the works - by 2012 you'll have a West Jordan, West Valley, and Airport Trax line, as well as Commuter rail from Ogden to Provo. If you look at comparable metros, that's really impressive - what's more impressive is the support it has, while eastern cities are having some trouble.

[StevenF]

I love mass transit, I used to use it all the time when I lived in Taylorsville. Its nice to see it grow as it has been the last few years. Though now that I live in Cache Valley I am not able to enjoy it like I used to. Tony, if you say I can ride CVT, I will say its pointless since Newton does not have a stop at the moment.

About commuter rail, I look forward to when it goes all the way to Brigham City, then I wont have to drive all the way to Weber State like I have been. Drop the car at my brothers in Brigham and ride the train. The next place will be having a train go all the way to Logan like there once was.

I posted these a long time ago from the Herald Journal, Logan's Local news paper.

[TonyAnderson]

And I really doubt there will be a stop there in the next...50 years at least. That's sort of the perks of living there right?

Rail to Logan is something Ive heard a few people talk about, but right now it seems so pointless. Maybe at one point, if FrontRunner extended to Tremonton, they could make a route from there to Logan. Really I doubt there'd be much usage - Cache Valley is more self-sustained - if you're going to live in Ogden, SLC, or Provo, then you're not going to live in the Logan area. If you work in Logan, then you're going to live in the area - it's just at the point where it's too far out to do anything else. Obviously there are exceptions - but I think those people are crazy

[i-215]

We mustn't forget rail to Logan was viable back then because it was faster than the alternative ... a broken, beat-up Model A that had to stop 6 times on its way to Ogden.

Today, I can cruise on excellent expressway and highway and beat any other system. Heck, it's probably faster than flying by the time you add in the pre-fight check, runway cues, etc.

[StevenF]

I understand it isn't a viable option at the moment for a train into Logan. Just would be nice to have it since I have family in Salt Lake and Utah Counties, and I also drive to Ogden to go to school.

What would you rather have as Logan grows and a demand for a freeway grows for the county. Would you rather have a high speed train or a 4-6 lane freeway? My thoughts would to just put in a train along side the roads we have coming into the county and not cut into the beautiful canyon anymore than has already happened.

[i-215]

Obviously, both!

I wish UTA and UDOT could team up more often. When they are buying right of way for the freeway, it makes perfect sense to add another 60 feet for trains.