Salt Lake Transit News Thread

[RC14]

I think that Main St should be changed back to East Temple.

[Old&New]

Originally Posted by RC14

I think that Main St should be changed back to East Temple.

I'm in favor of this! Perhaps after the name change, "Social Hall Avenue" could be renamed "Main Street."

[Stenar]

Originally Posted by RC14

I think that Main St should be changed back to East Temple.

I concur. I've long thought this ought to change back to East Temple. Having a street named "Main St." sounds so small town. Most large cities in America don't have a street named "Main Street." They have interesting, unique street names for their main thoroughfares, such as Michigan Ave in Chicago, Fifth Ave or Broadway (among others in NYC), Euclid Ave (Cleveland), etc.

[ajiuO]

Was main street ever actualy called east temple? Seems like I was curious about that once but couldn't find anything to support it.

I know that prior to some time in the 1960's the center of our street grid use to be the entire temple square block. This made it impossible to give everything on the block a proper addresses. So the center of the grid was shifted to the intersection of main and south temple. This resulted in all the north/west streets being shifted by one block 300 west actualy use to be 2nd west.... This is also when they switched from using 1st, 2nd, 3erd to 100, 200, 300... So if you have ever wonders why so many utahns refere to a street like 600 south as 6th south... That's why... It actualy use to be that way.

I'm not sure if east temple would be a good name for main any more.... It doesn't actual go to the east of temple square. Maybe state street could be east temple

Here is the intersection of 300 west and north temple when it was still called 2nd west... Notice the street sign.... I remember when they tore down Denny's in the 80's. They built taco time in it's place (it's now a subway). The ironic thing is that it appears that the overpass is being paved... Just as it is now. I should try to get a current shot


I got this from google maps.. So the perspective is kind of skewed.

[SLC Projects]

I like the name main street. I say keep it as is.

[SLCdude]

I agree. I like having a Main Street, and of all the streets in the city I would have to say this street is the most deserving of the name.

[RC14]

Originally Posted by ajiuO

Was main street ever actualy called east temple? Seems like I was curious about that once but couldn't find anything to support it.

I know that prior to some time in the 1960's the center of our street grid use to be the entire temple square block. This made it impossible to give everything on the block a proper addresses. So the center of the grid was shifted to the intersection of main and south temple. This resulted in all the north/west streets being shifted by one block 300 west actualy use to be 2nd west.... This is also when they switched from using 1st, 2nd, 3erd to 100, 200, 300... So if you have ever wonders why so many utahns refere to a street like 600 south as 6th south... That's why... It actualy use to be that way.

I'm not sure if east temple would be a good name for main any more.... It doesn't actual go to the east of temple square. Maybe state street could be east temple

Here is the intersection of 300 west and north temple when it was still called 2nd west... Notice the street sign.... I remember when they tore down Denny's in the 80's. They built taco time in it's place (it's now a subway). The ironic thing is that it appears that the overpass is being paved... Just as it is now. I should try to get a current shot


I got this from google maps.. So the perspective is kind of skewed.

On the side of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building Main Street is labled as East Temple.

I concur with Stenar, that was my resoning exactly. I think changing the name from Main street to East temple would take the focus off Main street. I'm not saying downtown will expand just becaues we changed the name, but I don't really like having a "Main Street" in a metro with over 2 million people. They could even change the name to Meridian or Wells Fargo Center bvd, jk, I just don't like the name Main street. IMHO

[stayinginformed]

The first slab of concrete was laid yesterday on the west side of the North Temple Viaduct. It is a triangular shape between the car traffic and the train line. Sorry, I did not have my camera with me, so I do not have any pictures. They have also started work on the sidewalks on the north side of North Temple between 600 and 700 West. The project is really moving along quickly.

[stayinginformed]

Looks like a Tribune photographer went and took a picture of it last night


Picture by Steve Griffin from the Salt Lake Tribune
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politics/52148160-90/bridge-business-businesses-carpenter.html.csp

[SLCdude]

H4vok,

The South Jordan Parkway (formerly Daybreak North) station & park and ride will be open on August 7th. However, the area is undeveloped and the park & ride lot will be dirt rather than paved for a couple of months. They will actually pave the lot and make pedestrian infrastructure when the area is more developed.

[H4vok]

Originally Posted by SLCdude

H4vok,

The South Jordan Parkway (formerly Daybreak North) station & park and ride will be open on August 7th. However, the area is undeveloped and the park & ride lot will be dirt rather than paved for a couple of months. They will actually pave the lot and make pedestrian infrastructure when the area is more developed.

Thanks for the info. I figured it wouldn't be paved for sometime.

[Stenar]

Originally Posted by ajiuO

Was main street ever actualy called east temple? Seems like I was curious about that once but couldn't find anything to support it.

I know that prior to some time in the 1960's the center of our street grid use to be the entire temple square block. This made it impossible to give everything on the block a proper addresses. So the center of the grid was shifted to the intersection of main and south temple. This resulted in all the north/west streets being shifted by one block 300 west actualy use to be 2nd west.... This is also when they switched from using 1st, 2nd, 3erd to 100, 200, 300... So if you have ever wonders why so many utahns refere to a street like 600 south as 6th south... That's why... It actualy use to be that way.

I'm not sure if east temple would be a good name for main any more.... It doesn't actual go to the east of temple square. Maybe state street could be east temple

Here is the intersection of 300 west and north temple when it was still called 2nd west... Notice the street sign.... I remember when they tore down Denny's in the 80's. They built taco time in it's place (it's now a subway). The ironic thing is that it appears that the overpass is being paved... Just as it is now. I should try to get a current shot


I got this from google maps.. So the perspective is kind of skewed.

As has been pointed out, Main did used to be called East Temple St. You can find thousands of references to it in the Deseret News Historic archives: http://www.deseretnews.com/historic/?searchString=east-temple-st

The center of the street grid was NEVER the center of Temple Square. It's always been the corner of Main (East Temple) and South Temple. The only difference is that West Temple and State St. didn't have numbered designations originally, as they do now. So now West Temple is also 100 West, and what was 100 West is now 200 West. The same is true to the east. State St. originally had no numbered desgination, then the next street to the east of State was 100 East. In the '60s, they changed that so now 100 East is 200 East.

It's not just Utahns who refer to streets such as 200 as 2nd also. It's used in other places.

Uhhh... Temple Square still ends at Main st (just because there's a plaza connecting it with the church office building block doesn't mean that Temple Square goes all the way to State St. now.

Having a street named "Main St" is for small towns, not the urban center of a 2m metropolis.

[wrendog]

Originally Posted by Stenar

As has been pointed out, Main did used to be called East Temple St. You can find thousands of references to it in the Deseret News Historic archives: http://www.deseretnews.com/historic/?searchString=east-temple-st

The center of the street grid was NEVER the center of Temple Square. It's always been the corner of Main (East Temple) and South Temple. The only difference is that West Temple and State St. didn't have numbered designations originally, as they do now. So now West Temple is also 100 West, and what was 100 West is now 200 West. The same is true to the east. State St. originally had no numbered desgination, then the next street to the east of State was 100 East. In the '60s, they changed that so now 100 East is 200 East.

It's not just Utahns who refer to streets such as 200 as 2nd also. It's used in other places.

Uhhh... Temple Square still ends at Main st (just because there's a plaza connecting it with the church office building block doesn't mean that Temple Square goes all the way to State St. now.

Having a street named "Main St" is for small towns, not the urban center of a 2m metropolis.

Main Street runs right through downtown Las Vegas and downtown Kansas City. So, SLC isn't the only one.

[arkhitektor]

Originally Posted by Stenar

Having a street named "Main St" is for small towns, not the urban center of a 2m metropolis.

If the change back to East Temple could be made with the wave of a wand, it would be a good idea but changing it in 2011 seems like it would take more effort than it's worth. Does anybody know when the change to Main St. originally took place?

[WASDEN]

I don't see anything wrong with calling it Main Street. If the term is reminiscent of small towns than I'm all for it. I don't understand why a lot of forumer's have this need for SLC to be a bigger city than it is. The only way I wish SLC was bigger would be in having more people live downtown so the streets weren't so dead and also provide more patrons for local "main street" businesses. Think about it- SLC has plenty of streets with the name "Temple" in it, and only one Main Street. The term "main street" sounds like a place where anyone can come and do business, which is an important concept in Utah's flagship city since there are a lot of misconceptions about doing business in the state that abound nationally. I think it might be interesting to note that South Temple was once called Brigham Street. When that change occurred or which name came first I couldn't tell you. I would probably just stick with the current South Temple as well, no offense to Mr. Young.

[scottharding]

I agree Wasden. In fact, once South of 400 S., I don't think Main Street leaves up to it's name at all.

[ajiuO]

I checked out the hotel Utah building today... It does indeed say "east temple" on the south east corner of the building... And right around the corner it says south temple... Kind of cool

[i-215]

Since when was 300 West ever called 2nd West? That's just bizarre. What was SLC's reasoning for that?

[SLC Projects]

Originally Posted by WASDEN

I don't see anything wrong with calling it Main Street. If the term is reminiscent of small towns than I'm all for it. I don't understand why a lot of forumer's have this need for SLC to be a bigger city than it is. The only way I wish SLC was bigger would be in having more people live downtown so the streets weren't so dead and also provide more patrons for local "main street" businesses. Think about it- SLC has plenty of streets with the name "Temple" in it, and only one Main Street. The term "main street" sounds like a place where anyone can come and do business, which is an important concept in Utah's flagship city since there are a lot of misconceptions about doing business in the state that abound nationally. I think it might be interesting to note that South Temple was once called Brigham Street. When that change occurred or which name came first I couldn't tell you. I would probably just stick with the current South Temple as well, no offense to Mr. Young.

well said. Also im sure money could be better spent then to waste it on having to replace all them main street signs, ect. I dont have a issue with the name.

[Reachforthesky]

Originally Posted by i-215

Since when was 300 West ever called 2nd West? That's just bizarre. What was SLC's reasoning for that?

It was the Lyman System being adopted as state law that changed the streets names. I found an Interesting article that explains why the changes took place. http://www.utahrails.net/articles/sl-county-streets.php

Check it out! Its pretty interesting! I had no idea they had changed the street numbers till ajiuo brought it up on the forum! Thanks for the info ajiuo!