Salt Lake Transit News Thread - Page 232

scottharding · #**4621** Posted **Oct 23, 2012, 11:40 PM**

Don't buy into anything Dolan says. He's a complete jackass. He has no control or say or even influence on what Trax will do, and as we've witnessed with several other Sandy proposals, they're all just hot air from his blowhole.

chad.farnes · #**4622** Posted **Oct 24, 2012, 12:01 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottharding

Don't buy into anything Dolan says. He's a complete jackass. He has no control or say or even influence on what Trax will do, and as we've witnessed with several other Sandy proposals, they're all just hot air from his blowhole.

Good to know. Thanks for letting me know a little bit about the source of the info.

Makid · #**4623** Posted **Oct 24, 2012, 3:34 AM**

My understanding is that in the WFRC long range plans there are plans to bring Trax to the mount of Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons.

The line however would be going up near 70th South. I know alignments can change but I haven't seen or heard of a southern alignment for the canyon line before.

billbillbillbill · #**4624** Posted **Oct 24, 2012, 2:38 PM**

Just announced April 14th for the Airport Extension opening.

http://www.letsrideuta.com/2012/10/24/airport-trax-line-to-open/

UTPlanner · #**4625** Posted **Oct 24, 2012, 4:21 PM**

If anybody was interested, here is UTA's response to not running late night trains: http://www.letsrideuta.com/2012/10/16/late-night-trax-service/

scottharding · #**4626** Posted **Oct 24, 2012, 5:53 PM**

Weak argument. They've opened two new lines since then, and will soon open three more, one of which goes to the freakin' airport, which will have people coming in and out at all hours of the night and early am.
It's not just about being open for bars and clubs either. I've gone to movies at the Gateway and the Broadway (the 9pm showings) and I have to drive because Trax doesn't run past 11. That's absurd. This is a city. A city with music, theatre, cinema, clubs, and sporting events that all run late into the night.

They should try another pilot program next year. After 11, just run the red line from the airport to the University until 1 am, and the blue line to 21st to keep the Sugarhouse line open. In other words, SLC proper should run later. I understand if the South Jordan line or the Draper line stops running at 11. By then, everyone who uses it for work is in bed.

tygr · #**4627** Posted **Oct 24, 2012, 6:03 PM**

If UTA ran SLC airport, it too would be closed in the middle of the night, limited weekend service, and closed all on holidays.

They only care about the M-F 8-5 professional and not the general public.

Case in point: The two bus routes that travel through Spanish Fork to Springville do little to go past any commercial developments. In fact, it travels a very rural route of UT-51 between the two cities when it could easily reroute past the new Costco, Maceys, airport, armory, county jail, multiple large employers (Neways, Nature's Sunshine, Young Living, Provo Craft, etc.), several apartment complexes, Walmart, and IHC InstaCare. That route would be only 2.3 miles and six minutes longer and service the needs of many potential riders.

They'd rather step over a dollar to pick up a dime.

Future Mayor · #**4628** Posted **Oct 24, 2012, 6:15 PM**

Yet if they continued to run very inefficient service at the expense of more efficient routes the same people would be bitching and moaning that they did that.

Running the late night service in the SLC Proper area is a very inefficient idea, IMO. Except for those living within a 1/4 mile of the line in SLC proper, most of those people, if they were out at the bars, would simply take a cab anyway. The reason I felt it should run late is that it would allow people to take trax to downtown, go to the bars and then travel back and give them time to sober up. A 1:20 last train is to soon though, if they were to do it again they should move it to at least 1:30 maybe 1:45. Last call is always at 1, but the bars/clubs don't have to have everyone out until 2, a later train would allow people some time to sober a bit, then sober up the remaining amount on the train.

As the article stated, many cities have limited late night service including airport lines, even many not listed. Again, the demand just simply isn't there to justify the costs associated with running the bar train, or the airport train late at night.

Old&New · #**4629** Posted **Oct 24, 2012, 7:25 PM**

Is late night drunk driving a problem in this State? And if so, why isn't the State taking serious action to provide late night transit service?

Future Mayor · #**4630** Posted **Oct 24, 2012, 9:29 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old&New

Is late night drunk driving a problem in this State? And if so, why isn't the State taking serious action to provide late night transit service?

A solution could be to increase the number of liquor licenses availalbe, and use a portion of those yearly fees to incentivize late night Trax service and/or use the fees to promote the use of trax as a viable ride home after the bars/clubs. Obviously this works mainly for downtown bars/clubs, but then again downtown has the largest number of them.

scottharding · #**4631** Posted **Oct 24, 2012, 9:29 PM**

I don't think late night drunk driving is any more a problem in this state or city than any other (probably less), but like so many who live outside the city, assumptions are made that if anyone is out of bed after midnight, they're drunk. That seems to be the tone, anyway. I was bothered reading the UTA response that all reference to late trains was in regard to people being at bars and getting drunk. Even FutureMayor was thinking about people needing to sober up. First off, if folks are in a bar, that doesn't mean they get wasted and need a taxi or a train home. It's a city. There are all kinds of venues open late, from restaurants to music and comedy shows.
Forgive the rant.

Future Mayor · #**4632** Posted **Oct 24, 2012, 9:33 PM**

Agreed. However I think the most effective use for late night, after 1:00 Trax service, is to serve those that have been at bars. Yes there are many other events, but the majority of those don't last until 1 - 2 in the morning.

CPVLIVE · #**4633** Posted **Oct 25, 2012, 1:41 AM**

If UTA is going to reference other agencies they could at least use accurate data.

'Similar cuts have been made by other agencies. Other western cities, like Denver, Phoenix and Portland, end service before 1 a.m. as well'.

I don't know about Phoenix or Portland, but Denver most definitely doesn't end service before 1 a.m. - The D, E, and H lines all run later. The D line leaves 30th and Downing at 1:30 and runs through Downtown around 1:45 arriving at Mineral at 2:12 a.m. The E line leaves Union Station at 1:12 arriving at Lincoln station at 1:55 a.m and the H is similar. They run the same schedule 7 days a week including Holidays. This is basic research here.

SLCdude · #**4634** Posted **Oct 25, 2012, 3:05 AM**

For everyone who will be voting, Prop 1 (parks bond) would provide funding to complete parley's trail along the Sugar House streetcar line. This MUST be passed!

RC14 · #**4635** Posted **Oct 25, 2012, 5:58 AM**

I actually think their argument makes since, even though I want later TRAX service. I have taken the last green line train several times on a Friday night and have been the only person on the train a few times.
That said, I was thinking, maybe when the airport line opens they could run a few green line trains once an hour till 2am. The green line would be ideal at this point because it would serve the airport, main st, most of downtown and some of the suburbs.

SLCdude · #**4636** Posted **Oct 25, 2012, 9:56 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by RC14

I actually think their argument makes since, even though I want later TRAX service. I have taken the last green line train several times on a Friday night and have been the only person on the train a few times.
That said, I was thinking, maybe when the airport line opens they could run a few green line trains once an hour till 2am. The green line would be ideal at this point because it would serve the airport, main st, most of downtown and some of the suburbs.

What about us drunken college students. We need a way home too!!!

arkhitektor · #**4637** Posted **Oct 25, 2012, 2:33 PM**

How late do flights actually arrive at SLC? Some time ago an evening flight I was scheduled on was cancelled because of a mechanical problem and rather than go to a hotel, I opted to wait it out at the airport and hopefully get on an early flight in the morning. I distinctly remember how dead the place was overnight. There didn't seem to be anyone coming or going after 11 or so....

CountyLemonade · #**4638** Posted **Oct 25, 2012, 2:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by RC14

I actually think their argument makes since, even though I want later TRAX service. I have taken the last green line train several times on a Friday night and have been the only person on the train a few times.

This is because people who could be taking that last train of the night choose to drive downtown instead, because they're not sure if whatever business they're conducting will end by the time the last train of the night leaves. If there were better night service, I would bet you that train you're currently taking would be better patronized.

scottharding · #**4639** Posted **Oct 25, 2012, 6:13 PM**

I take a Red Eye to New York several times a year and that flight is always full. If the Trax to the airport stops running around 11 pm, I'll have to drive.

joscar · #**4640** Posted **Oct 27, 2012, 7:48 PM**

Just happened to take a look at yesterday's construction update for the Draper Extension. Looks like they don't plan on opening it until August 2013. It has been pretty much done for awhile, so I guess they didn't want the headache of opening it along with the line to the airport?

http://www.rideuta.com/mc/?page=Projects-FrontLines2015-DraperTRAXLine-Construction

Here's some info about the Draper Town Center historic display:
"Draper once was known as the “Egg Basket of America” and shipped “milk-white eggs” all over the country. The story will be told at the historical rail car display to be built at the Draper Town Center Park-and-Ride. Preliminary preparations for the historic rail car exhibit are started. An actual refrigerated rail car from the period is being transported from Kanab, Utah as the centerpiece of the exhibit, which also will include a water tower with a message welcoming people to Draperville."