Salt Lake Transit News Thread

[delts145]

Very good news, and another major project for the advancement of downtown. Also, very glad to see they're going to go the extra mile with the No. Temple embedding and landscaping. That whole northwest quadrant won't hardly be familiar in another ten years.

[H4vok]

Were we speculating that we would start seeing the new TRAX cars when the new lines open up?

[delts145]

UTA seeking to acquire 6 sites

Deseret News - Laura Hancock

The Utah Transit Authority Board of Trustees voted Monday afternoon to start the process of eminent domain on six properties for rail construction.

For the six-mile light-rail line from downtown Salt Lake City to the Salt Lake City International Airport, North Temple will be widened, and 136 parcels are needed, said Gerry Carpenter, UTA spokesman. UTA has acquired one. The UTA board voted to condemn portions of the following properties:

- Taco Bell, 1768 W. North Temple. The building is owned by a group of investors including Exchange Investments LLC. UTA wants to acquire 1,478 square feet.


- The Pentecostals of Salt Lake, 1755 W. North Temple, 483 square feet.

- For the FrontRunner South CommuterRail line, which will connect Salt Lake City and Provo, UTA would like 439 parcels and has acquired 182, Carpenter said. On Monday, trustees agreed to condemn the following properties:


- Three feet of backyard of two residences: 850 N. Timber Drive and 852 N. Timber Drive, Lehi.


- Privately owned undeveloped property at 7800 N. 6800 West in American Fork.

.

[esirhgih]

State considers $1 peak-hour toll for I-15 express lanes
Proposed system » Network would allow sliding tolls charged electronically and make it easier for enforcement.

By Brandon Loomis
The Salt Lake Tribune
Updated: 12/11/2009 08:10:07 AM MST

Cruising past Interstate 15 traffic in the express lanes may cost motorists driving alone about a quarter per ride during light traffic and climb with traffic by 25-cent increments before peaking at $1 when the regular lanes are really bogged down, state traffic engineers recommended Thursday.
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_13971156?source=rss

[Future Mayor]

Troopers really need to crack down on HOV violators. The toll won't do anybody any good, it will just hurt those that are willing to pay the toll because those that are violating the HOV now will continue to do so in the future. I say do what California does. $1,000 fine for HOV violators, post the signs everywhere and enforce it strongly for a few months and that will get people to stop violating the lane.

I drive 55 miles each way to South Utah County four days a week and I always wish I could give people tickets. I see a minimum of 10 violators everyday on my drive home, and that's just the one I really notice and that's just in 40 minutes. That is A LOT of revenue to be made. Ok maybe it should be $500, that is still a big sting and would a really good deterrent.

[i-215]

I hate tolls. But even I'll admit, that 25 cents ain't worth cheating.

[TonyAnderson]

I never knew how they monitored the tolls. That's really cool technology.

[esirhgih]

I like the idea but wonder how sensitive the thing is. If I drive by in the far left lane (next to the carpool lane) is it going to think I'm in the carpool lane and charge me? Also, the feature that allows users to push a button on their receiver when they have enough extra occupants to be a carpool and not get charged could be misused. Overall, I think its a great idea. If I could get a receiver for less than $30 and only use it a few times a month to bypass the congestion in Kaysville for a dollar, it would absolutely be worth it. It actually sounds like for most people it would be a better value than paying $50/month for a sticker.

I wonder if anyone knows how Denver's toll collection system is working. I believe that they just have cameras that photograph license plates and send out monthly bills to registered owners for the number of times that the system was used. It would require less technology and eliminate cheaters from using the system without paying.

[delts145]

Yesterday, driving home from Salt Lake around 4:00, the hov lane was a big savings of time. From 5300 South to 106th we just cruised right past all of the slow, and stop and go traffic.

[delts145]

There are a couple of good questions on the skyscaperpage, transportation thread asked by forumers from around the continent about our transportation buildup. If a couple of you want to venture an answer, that would be great.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=150074&page=10

[esirhgih]

Have any of you heard anything about this or the motivations behind it? I presume they are budgetary:

http://www.rideuta.com/mediaRoom/pressReleases.aspx?pressReleaseID=1021

Anyway, beginning today, UTA is eliminating weekend morning trips from FrontRunner, late night TRAX trips and TRAX service has been reduced to 20 minute headways. There are also a number of changes to bus routes.

I can't figure out why, if money is so tight, they are still running nearly empty FrontRunner trains between Salt Lake and Ogden every 30 minutes all day long. Almost every other city with commuter rail that I can think of cuts back frequencies or simply doesn't run at all outside of the morning and evening commute hours. Although there usually aren't more than 10 people on each train from 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM, UTA runs FrontRunner trains every 30 minutes from 5AM to Midnight everyday of the week. If they're looking for ways to save money, that seems like pretty low-hanging fruit.

[UTPlanner]

Denver has similar toll technology as they're describing. The cameras you see are there to catch violaters. I watch a lot of Rockies games so I saw the commercials a lot on FSN Rocky MOuntain, but if you want to use the tollways you have to sign up for the use and prepay online.

I know there are times I see people that I think may be cheating the system but as a single occupant you can purchase an express pass and utilize the HOV lane. I always try to assume that those single riders that I see have paid their dues. If I don't, it just pisses me off.

[i-215]

I'm still old fashioned. For me the carpool lane is for carpools. If people want to avoid traffic, they need to carpool, not be rich.

[East2Westback]

Originally Posted by i-215

I hate tolls. But even I'll admit, that 25 cents ain't worth cheating.

Try paying $8.00 like I do on the George Washington Bridge even using the more cost effective EZ pass...and even higher on some of the bridges like the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (One-Way Tolling) is $11.50 I never take that one but it is a major pain for a half million workers. 25 cents a day or twice a day is like a dream.

It does bring in a lot of money for NYC though...still it sucks.

[shakman]

I do not like paying tolls as well. However, if tolls is the source of income for maintenance of that particular highway, then be it. I would rather pay the tolls and be safe rather then drive on a highway full of potholes and decaying bridges and overpasses.

Did anyone recently watch the documentary on The History Channel about the US 's infrastructure?

[Future Mayor]

Car Share rolls out more wheels
Transportation » Nearly 500 members can take turns with 28 vehicles.

Weeks away from giving birth to her first child, Crystal Young-Otterstrom thinks about whether she and her husband need a second, larger car.

But the Salt Lake City resident hates the idea of paying for one. So she is going to share a Ford Escape Hybrid -- and 27 other cars -- with 480 drivers in the Salt Lake Valley.

http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_14011326?source=rv

[urbanboy]

Alliance pushes high-speed train corridor



"A newly created alliance of local transit agencies will try to persuade federal authorities that stimulus money should be used on high-speed rail corridor studies, a move that could put Las Vegas back on the map as a railroad town.

The Western High-Speed Rail Alliance wants the Federal Railroad Administration to fund a key portion of President Barack Obama’s transportation strategy: the development of a nationwide high-speed train network...

...The alliance is important to Las Vegas because the city is a key hub in the regional network. A rough route map presented by Skancke at a meeting of the North Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce in October showed routes linking Las Vegas with Phoenix and Salt Lake City as priorities. Other priority routes include Phoenix to Los Angeles, Salt Lake City to Denver and Salt Lake City to Reno."

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/dec/18/alliance-pushes-high-speed-train-corridor/

[urbanboy]

Perhaps the routes looked something like this (with my additions to boise):

[Stenar]

Originally Posted by urbanboy

Alliance pushes high-speed train corridor



"A newly created alliance of local transit agencies will try to persuade federal authorities that stimulus money should be used on high-speed rail corridor studies, a move that could put Las Vegas back on the map as a railroad town.

The Western High-Speed Rail Alliance wants the Federal Railroad Administration to fund a key portion of President Barack Obama’s transportation strategy: the development of a nationwide high-speed train network...

...The alliance is important to Las Vegas because the city is a key hub in the regional network. A rough route map presented by Skancke at a meeting of the North Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce in October showed routes linking Las Vegas with Phoenix and Salt Lake City as priorities. Other priority routes include Phoenix to Los Angeles, Salt Lake City to Denver and Salt Lake City to Reno."

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2009/dec/18/alliance-pushes-high-speed-train-corridor/

If they're going to put in high-speed rail between SLC and Reno, they might as well continue it all the way to San Francisco.

[i-215]

Honestly, HSR isn't the feasible to the mountain west. But they sure would be smart to preserve the right of way for it now, even if they don't build it for 50 more years.