Salt Lake Transit News Thread

[jubguy3]

I have some really dumb moonshot ideas -

• Run lightrail all the way from the stadium up foothill and along 215 until 2300 N, connecting to 6400 S TRAX and a future south davis corridor
• submerge the main street and university lines as well as the airport line, and reserve the additional space in the center of both for buses and medians
• maybe elevate the university line and airport line instead of submerging
• this one is super crazy for UTA execs - use a simple font and a consistent branding experience across all UTA media forms and signage
• make all major bus routes BRT
• make all major bus routes BRT without an entire panel dedicated to studying environmental impact and a two year 2 million dollar study to figure out how to build a new road and a 6 year community impact period and an intensive water resource study
• commuter rail up parleys to park city ski resorts and light rail up big and little cottonwood canyons
• lightrail from AF to eagle mnt (this was outlined in the MAG transportation plan, i drew the major roads and transit things on to a screenshot of google maps to show how dumb MAG is - i can post it if anyone wants to see the 6 freeways planned)
• build a transit plaza at courthouse and expand the platform significantly

[RC14]

Originally Posted by Old&New

This would be pretty great, IMO:

I think the small red line should also pass through 9th and 9th and Trolley Square. Maybe even connect to the Trolley TRAX station.

[Old&New]

Originally Posted by RC14

I think the small red line should also pass through 9th and 9th and Trolley Square. Maybe even connect to the Trolley TRAX station.

or even better, IMO:

[SLCdude]

Originally Posted by Old&New

Good start!

My recommendations:
1. I would definitely remove the white line. Maybe Foothill altogether. I am a big fan of rail but I have to say BRT is a better choice on Foothill. It's more of a commuter road anyway.
2. There needs to be a University/Draper OR University/Daybreak line AND a University/Transit hub line
3. It looks like the yellow line is the only one that goes south.
4. Too many airport lines. Not enough Main Street.
5. Orange line is not necessary if other lines are laid out properly. You can overlap almost-looping lines to create similar connections with fewer transfers.

[jubguy3]

I'd like rail on foothill. That being said, I think the stadium should get repurposed as a transit hub with the White Line stop being next to mount olivet.

Ive always wanted for years to have the following - the Yellow Airport-University line running 24 hrs, with the 11-5 service being 30 min (this is the only place there is demand for 24/7 service), and for the 5600 W corridor (upon buildout) to use north temple and 400 W (this acts as a notemp-SLC hub connector meaning people wont have to use the 500) to use that unused thing on 400 W (which i think along with the part of the grand union on 400 S are the only unused streetrunning tracks in the system and the state street s-line crossing). I'd also like to see a looper running around downtown from SLC to gallivan to SLC, maybe both directions. Then, as congestion on the blue and red increase, UTA can get rid of some dumb project and seek funding for a Daybreak-SLC and Draper-UniversityMedical line running during the middle of rushour. It irks me that UTA hasn't been more proactive about seeking funding for the Airport - University line because its absence makes my commute 30 minutes longer.

Upon some further extentions, and the renaming of SLC to something different (notice how you thought i said city instead of central? yeah whoever named it Salt Lake Central probably lives in an ivory home in Sandy, drives a minivan and has a kid named Jordan and a kid named Madison and works for Wells Fargo. uninspiring), like say Rio Grande Station or Depot District Station or Union Southwest Station. See? they are dumb names but they are bold and inspiring and offer a sense of place.

This means we have -

• Red | Herriman Parkway - University Medical
• Blue | Orem - Union Southwest
• Green | International Center - WVC
• Yellow | Airport - University Medical
• Black | Union Southwest - University Medical
• Pink | Herriman Parkway - Union Southwest via International Center
• Purple | Herriman Parkway - Union Southwest via Main Street
• Orange | Orem - University Medical
• CityRunner - Main Street to Pioneer Park

I know Union Southwest is a really dumb and out of place name, but it sounded nice, so if you have a better idea that isnt generic, feel free to add it.

I like mountain rail outlined in mountain accord but i have specifically opted not to include it because of Mountain Accord's descision to not choose a mode yet.

CityRunner seemed like a nice name.

[Old&New]

[Orlando]

Fyi, if anybody is interested in putting in their two cents worth regarding the future of transportation, then you might want to attend this:


Register now for the Western Regional Alliance Symposium! Only a few days remain to register.

We are happy to announce the Western Regional Alliance (WRA) Symposium: Creating Our Own Future. This year’s symposium, held on September 30, 2014 at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah, will focus on the vision of future transportation connections and regional mobility, sustainable growth, regional cooperation, and collaboration.

· The final program for the Western Regional Alliance Symposium is now available.

· Jonathan E. Johnson, III, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Overstock.com will be the keynote speaker.

· UTA will host a technical tour of the FrontRunner Commuter Rail Project on September 29 from 2:00 to 5:00 PM. More details to follow.

· AICP credits are pending.

· Professional education certificates will be provided.

· 50% student discount is now offered through the online registration. The discount may be applied by entering STUDENT50 as the coupon code.

Please register via the following link: http://westernregionalalliance.com/ .

Registration cost: $150

Student registration cost: $75

Please see the attached agenda. Please feel free to contact Hal Johnson, [email protected], with any questions. We look forward to seeing you on September 30th!




--

ITE Utah Chapter

http://iteutahchapter.com/

http://iteutahchapter.com/blog/category/blog/

[email protected]

https://twitter.com/ITEUtah

https://www.facebook.com/iteutahchapter/

[RC14]

Originally Posted by Old&New

or even better, IMO:

Perfect.
JUBGUY3: I would actually like to see a subway down foothill blvd and along the east side (by which I mean underground light rail). I know the demand is not there now but hopefully some day.
Sometimes I like to think about what we would do if Salt Lake grew into a mega city. I think it would be cool if we could convert all the light rail lines south of 1300 south into a metro rail system and then north of 1300 south have them swing northwest to SLC Central and out to the airport. A new subway line could run East from SLC Central down 400 south and foothill blvd. everything else downtown would be served by streetcar lines. ..But the demand for that will probably never exist.

[jubguy3]

I think we should set up a dedicated transit imagination plan. We've already got the bus system ready transitmix map 28235 is a comprehensive HQ bus system. All we need is some light rail plan dedication.

oes anhl

[Future Mayor]

While subways are cool, I honestly don't anticipate Salt Lake City ever getting to the point population wise where subway is required let alone justified in cost. Subway construction is 10 times more expensive per mile than light rail construction, and on that note, elevated, such as monorail, is 6 times more expensive per mile than light rail.

10 more light rail lines or one subway line. I'll take light rail and streetcar (even less than light rail per mile) over one subway line.

I would however like to eventually see the main line built below grade as it crosses intersections and the station could be below grade as well. I'm not saying underground, just simply separated grade crossings.

[jubguy3]

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

While subways are cool, I honestly don't anticipate Salt Lake City ever getting to the point population wise where subway is required let alone justified in cost. Subway construction is 10 times more expensive per mile than light rail construction, and on that note, elevated, such as monorail, is 6 times more expensive per mile than light rail.

10 more light rail lines or one subway line. I'll take light rail and streetcar (even less than light rail per mile) over one subway line.

I would however like to eventually see the main line built below grade as it crosses intersections and the station could be below grade as well. I'm not saying underground, just simply separated grade crossings.

The trains would most likely run under or over the road because of the I-15 UP off ramp thing. I would say only at busy streets like 21st and 90th.

[CountyLemonade]

Originally Posted by jubguy3

I think we should set up a dedicated transit imagination plan. We've already got the bus system ready transitmix map 28235 is a comprehensive HQ bus system. All we need is some light rail plan dedication.

www.transitmix.net/map/9746 is the map I originally made and the one you based yours off of. Interesting additions you made to your map — I'll have to look at them more in depth when I have the time.

At a quick glance, I don't get the need for a bus on North Temple. TRAX already more or less fulfills this purpose.

[jubguy3]

Yes, but there is no Local Bus, which acts as a supplemental service in addition to TRAX. Light rail spurs development because of its permanence, but people arent going to want to walk 3 blocks on North Temple to a TRAX stop.

I am going to go in and remove some dumb routes I made to examine costs, like the liberty park thingy. I will change the map when they offer inbound outbound support.

[Hatman]

No subways.

Future Mayer may be on to something though with grade-separated intersections - but I love how TRAX stations are so accessible. No stairs, just a cross-walk. No matter what you decide for the intersections, don't grade-separate the stations.

[SLCdude]

Salt Lake City's wide two-way streets are ideal for light rail. Other US cities, like Portland do not have the luxury of dedicating two lanes entirely to light rail on the same street, or even running four-car trains through their downtowns. It makes no sense to multiply the cost to bury transit below streets?

[Old&New]

[SLCdude]

Old&New I still don't understand which of your lines go south of Salt Lake City...

[Future Mayor]

I've said it several times in the past, but after browsing through the Denver thread, I'm going to say it again. City, State UTA, and yes Boyer leadership sorely missed the boat(rather train) on a central station for Salt Lake City.

We have TWO historic train stations in downtown and neither one is being used as a train station. One is a mostly empty event space connected to a struggling lifestyle center and the other is a museum next to a homeless shelter, while our central station is hidden a block and a half behind that. With a small terminal building, only used for Greyhound, and only one trax line actually serves the station along with a FrontRunner stop that is actually less convenient to get into downtown than another stop 3 1/2 blocks away.

Serious failure on many fronts.

[jubguy3]

I totally agree with you. I think its because of UTA's reluctancy to invest in expensive infrastructure. Its like a dad that goes to costo and only buys khakis and white tennis shoes and goes on and on about "efficiency" and "bang for your buck". Well, no one wants to be his friend. UTA has to be interesting.

I've said this with the RTD website - its nice and efficiently laid out, modern, and clean. It works on mobile (as in it isnt one of those fake mobile sites that lists one button and then a desktop site button). Union station is also nice in that RTD tried to make a difference in LoDo. UTA has yet to do that with north temple or Salt Lake Central (it has a very bland name that I dont like - can we consider renaming it to something better? lets make a list of names.) and i remember there being a huge deal about north temple because it was so crazy in having an escalator and such. It just feels like a tiny rail station when im there.

I never ride TRAX south of the courthouse, but today I took it to murray and ive decided two things: UTA needs to make the announcements louder south of ballpark to counteract the train noise, and UTA needs to eliminate or severely modify the SD160 trains. They are loud and old and congested. UTA needs to completely reconfigure the seating on the inside of the trains - eliminate the four seats inside the dour on S70 trains and make the non-low floor seats bench style as opposed to 4x4 style. This would help act as the long distance seating and then everything in the low floor is short distance. It also speeds up boarding because people get on first and stand there and then a bunch of people stand by the passageway to the upper train and then it all gets messed up and no one can get on or off. On the blue trains, all of the seating needs to be modified in to bench seating because the current seating means that people have difficulty getting on and off and shifting so people can get on and off. I have never ridden a Kinkisharyo car though before so I don't know what they are like - all i know is that people didn't like them / they were noisy.

UTA should complete its order of S70 trainsets (an additional 180) and then sell them off to denver and such as they replace their aging fleet. Does anyone know if denver plans to get rid of the SD160 trains? When I rid the denver system they seemed suspiciously nicer / more well kept and cleaned and more operationally smooth (especially on the southeast line - the trains didn't bounce around, it felt like high quality track) than the SD1x0 trains in SLC. I dont know if that was a placebo though.

[justiny]

Couldn't agree more, Mayor.

If my memory serves me right, wasn't the Gateway and the original Sandy-Salt Lake line built around the same time? And it ended right at the front door of the UP station. Imagine if these two projects had collaborated together, maybe have the line loop through or build something for future inclusion.

Maybe Gateway would be a little better off than they are 15 years later. A UP central city station would've been an incredible opportunity.