Salt Lake Transit News Thread

[StevenF]

• Video Link

[Hatman]

Nice video. I'm glad people are already promoting the benefits of autonomous cars, even if they aren't here yet. Won't be long now.

But what to build in the soon-to-be disused parking lots? Here's a few guiding principles:
• Video Link

I like the idea of disassociating the word 'sprawl' from 'low density,' because there certainly is large amount of 'high-density sprawl' as well. Any development that is insular, single-use, and places people in bubbles, that is sprawl.
Transit, walking, and biking are the best tools to overcome the insular-ization of people, which is our natural tendency. If we want people to get out into the real world, to mix with their neighbors, build bonds with people different than themselves, etc - it won't happen because people drove there alone in a metal shell, whether that car be autonomous or not. It will be because of transit, biking, or walking.

[Hatman]

Not news for transit in Salt Lake City, per se, but it is transit news happening in Salt Lake City. While riding FrontRunner yesterday, I caught a glimpse of the new DMU's being built in the Stadler Plant within UTA's Warm Springs Maintenance building, and I got one shareable picture:


Also, I think it's really cool that they fly the Swiss flag outside the Warm Springs building now (Stadler Rail is a Swiss company):



These new rail vehicles are bound for Fort Worth, Texas, as part of the new TexRail project. They will look like this when they're done:


I'm betting that with that red, white, and blue paint scheme many Utah's will think these new trains are for UTA, and will be disappointed when they get taken away (if they notice them at all, that is).

The next big project for Stadler Rail will be building the electric multiple unit trains to be used in San Francisco:

Even I will be sad to see those go.

Hopefully we will be able to keep Stadler busy with our own transit here in Utah - by building more EMU sets to replace our current diesel-locomotive-hauled FrontRunner trains. My suggestion to the UTA is, as it has been for a long time, to apply for a FRA rehabilitation grant to pay for the cost of electrification and new trains. The cost savings from performing less maintenance and using zero diesel fuel will be more than enough to pay back the FRA over the course of the loan. It will be essentially a 'free' upgrade. Why UTA hasn't explored this already is beyond me.

[Hatman]

Since there is no conversation on this thread to interrupt, I will continue with my tangential pet project:
• Video Link

One quibble - you do not actually have to cross state lines to get one in Utah. After talking with the staff of the Tesla Gallery on State Street multiple times, I'm pretty confident that you can order your car online, have it delivered to the store, and they will hand it over to you there (perhaps on the side road, so that it does not technically enter the 'lot') with no extra costs and fees compared to other states where it is legal. The only difference right now is that you cannot talk prices with the staff of the Tesla Gallery (not a store, because that would be illegal), because that that is still against the law. So not really a big deal. Still a sign of cronyism and corruption, but hardly insurmountable.

[Hatman]

Some pictures of Parley's Trail, which is under construction now on the south side of I-80 between Sugharhouse Park and Tanner Park. I love how well grade-separated this portion of the trail will be. Sure, it will be a loud place to ride, being so close to the freeway, but at least it will be fast. And very safe, since there will be no crosswalks for it's entire length.
I hope there is a similar project in the works to construct a trail beside I-215 between the Jordan River Trail up to the Cottonwood Canyons area - possibly connecting with the Old Mill Trail. These types of trails are absolutely fantastic, and it makes me endlessly happy that we have three big bike-trail projects going on in the Salt Lake Valley as we speak (1- the railroad bridge on the Jordan River Trail, 2- Parley's Trail 3- Mountain View Corridor trail)

[delts145]

I can hardly wait to get back to Salt Lake part time and check out some of these fantastic trails for my power walk cardio. So many phenomenal trails in and around the immediate SLC and Wasatch Front!

[Hatman]

The bridge is going up!

[FullCircle]

That's awesome they're repurposing shipping containers as the supports for the pedestrian bridge!

[i-215]

I doubt that's permanent. It would be very unsafe from a seismic perspective.

[dshane73]

Its just cribbing until the other half of the truss is installed.

[bob rulz]

Ahhh Parley's Trail looks fantastic! I can't wait to be able to walk or bike all the way from the Jordan River to Parley's Canyon.

[Always Sunny in SLC]

I have only recently started paying attention to all the bike paths going up and it really is awesome. The picture of the last connection for the Jordan River Parkway really makes me wish that area could be redeveloped! I would love to wake up tomorrow and here Pacific Corp is closing down their plant. That area between N. Temple and I-80 and Redwood to I-15 has so much potential.

[Old&New]

Originally Posted by Always Sunny in SLC

I have only recently started paying attention to all the bike paths going up and it really is awesome. The picture of the last connection for the Jordan River Parkway really makes me wish that area could be redeveloped! I would love to wake up tomorrow and here Pacific Corp is closing down their plant. That area between N. Temple and I-80 and Redwood to I-15 has so much potential.

Like the potential to be Amazon's new headquarters.

[Makid]

The APTA Q2 2017 ridership report is out:

http://www.apta.com/resources/statistics/Documents/Ridership/2017-q2-ridership-APTA.pdf

Bus: 66.3K average daily ridership. Down 1.08% over Q2 2016 and down 1.37 Year to Date over 2016.
Trax: 58.8k average daily ridership. Down 0.15% over Q2 2016 and down 0.37% Year to Date over 2016.
FrontRunner: 16.8K average daily ridership. Up 9.85% over Q2 2016 and up 9.18% Year to Date over 2016.
Total: 150.4K average daily ridership. Up 0.24% over Q2 2016 and down 0.09% Year to Date over 2016.

Bus ridership is still dropping but the rate of decrease is slowing.
Trax has nearly leveled out and I wouldn't be surprised to see ridership increase slightly or decrease slightly on a YoY level.
FrontRunner is still picking up riders at a fairly decent rate.

To this point, we are a full year into the Proposition 1 being enacted in Weber and Davis Counties. I was hoping we would have seen a better increase in ridership but with the built environments in both Counties, the increased service may have just been able to slow the declining rates from the opening of the FrontRunner Southern leg.

While I do expect the Orem/Provo BRT line to increase bus ridership, I don't think we will see any big increases (excluding possibly FrontRunner) without increased service levels in Salt Lake County.

The TODs that have been built are leveling out Trax and playing a role in FrontRunner's growth. Bus ridership will need increased frequencies and preferably dedicated (traffic separated) routes within SL County.

While there are plans for increases in service levels following tax increases in SL and Utah Counties, there are also plans happening to increase service levels within various cities such as SLC and West Jordan.

I have heard from the majority of the legislators that I sent my UTA/UDoT restructuring thoughts too and all had good things to say about it. Time will tell if they do incorporate any of the ideas or not.

[Always Sunny in SLC]

Originally Posted by Makid

The APTA Q2 2017 ridership report is out:

http://www.apta.com/resources/statistics/Documents/Ridership/2017-q2-ridership-APTA.pdf

Bus: 66.3K average daily ridership. Down 1.08% over Q2 2016 and down 1.37 Year to Date over 2016.
Trax: 58.8k average daily ridership. Down 0.15% over Q2 2016 and down 0.37% Year to Date over 2016.
FrontRunner: 16.8K average daily ridership. Up 9.85% over Q2 2016 and up 9.18% Year to Date over 2016.
Total: 150.4K average daily ridership. Up 0.24% over Q2 2016 and down 0.09% Year to Date over 2016.

Bus ridership is still dropping but the rate of decrease is slowing.
Trax has nearly leveled out and I wouldn't be surprised to see ridership increase slightly or decrease slightly on a YoY level.
FrontRunner is still picking up riders at a fairly decent rate.

To this point, we are a full year into the Proposition 1 being enacted in Weber and Davis Counties. I was hoping we would have seen a better increase in ridership but with the built environments in both Counties, the increased service may have just been able to slow the declining rates from the opening of the FrontRunner Southern leg.

While I do expect the Orem/Provo BRT line to increase bus ridership, I don't think we will see any big increases (excluding possibly FrontRunner) without increased service levels in Salt Lake County.

The TODs that have been built are leveling out Trax and playing a role in FrontRunner's growth. Bus ridership will need increased frequencies and preferably dedicated (traffic separated) routes within SL County.

While there are plans for increases in service levels following tax increases in SL and Utah Counties, there are also plans happening to increase service levels within various cities such as SLC and West Jordan.

I have heard from the majority of the legislators that I sent my UTA/UDoT restructuring thoughts too and all had good things to say about it. Time will tell if they do incorporate any of the ideas or not.

I must have missed it... what is your restructuring plan?

[Makid]

Originally Posted by Always Sunny in SLC

I must have missed it... what is your restructuring plan?

It is on one of the previous pages but I am including a subset of what I sent to the legislators:

First, split UDoT into 2 groups (Wasatch Front and Elsewhere). The Wasatch Front division of UDoT will be merged with UTA and be titled something like Wasatch Front Transportation Association (WFTA). The Elsewhere group will keep the UDoT moniker. Funding for WFTA will be from 100% of the existing Transit Sales Taxes and 50% of the Gas Tax collected in the area. UDoT will be funded by 100% of the Gas Tax outside of the WFTA and 50% from within.

The WFTA will be required to gradually over time decrease the amount of transit sales tax funding used to pay for construction of projects. After 10 years (2029), WFTA must be using no less than 75% of the transit tax for operations, maintenance, and fare reductions.

The remaining 25% of the Transit tax will be solely for transit projects ranging from bicycle routes/trails through to bus stop upgrades/enhancements to rail expansion.

WFTA will be able to use its portion of the Gas Tax as needed for both Road/Highway projects and maintenance and Transit projects as determined by the elected WFTA board and the WFRC and MAG planning groups. This limits road projects to those that will have greater impact as well as ensures that transit projects that would use Gas tax funding would have a great impact within the area, such as Double Tracking and Electrifying Front Runner (estimated to more than double current ridership).

-----

The values and dates can be changed. I used numbers and dates that I felt had the highest chance of success.

The only thing I have not included are mechanisms for local transit and transportation funding increases (City and County level) as this can be done currently by property tax increases. I would recommend allowing localized increases in taxes so that any increase, transit or other, are limited to those that more directly benefit. This could range from a 1/6 to 1/4 mile from the improvement (i.e. Salt Lake City Downtown Streetcar, only those within 1/4 mile of the route would have their taxes increased).

Additionally, there were 2 new thoughts brought up in the most recent report on this: First, State assisting with transit funding. Second, the State taking the current debt load of UTA.

I do like the options but would rather have the State assist with funding for the Trax expansion to Lehi/Orem and the Airport connection while also implementing a 1% transit sales tax within the current UTA transit district. The Sales Tax increase can be implemented with requirements that 1/2 of it go to increased bus service and improved bus frequencies. 1/4 of it go to fare reductions and the last 1/4 would be split between Cities and Counties for transit projects within their boundaries.

This increase can be spun to the public as both a way to help alleviate pollution within the area, congestion relief, as well as a Jobs bill due to the need to hire additional drivers, mechanics and so forth.

[bob rulz]

Originally Posted by Makid

While there are plans for increases in service levels following tax increases in SL and Utah Counties, there are also plans happening to increase service levels within various cities such as SLC and West Jordan.

Are these tax increases that have already happened, or are going to happen soon? Do you have any idea what kinds of service additions are being considered? Later service on TRAX and increased frequency on bus routes are absolutely essential and I am adamant in my belief that that should happen before anything else.

[Makid]

Originally Posted by bob rulz

Are these tax increases that have already happened, or are going to happen soon? Do you have any idea what kinds of service additions are being considered? Later service on TRAX and increased frequency on bus routes are absolutely essential and I am adamant in my belief that that should happen before anything else.

They are planned, nothing set. The increase in SLC will be based on the Transit master plan. West Jordan only recently started to look into ways to increase service levels.

[Makid]

Speaking about UTA and incorporating it into UDoT:

http://www.sltrib.com/pb/news/politics/2...state-to-take-significant-control-of-uta

“This is a huge change,” Sen. Wayne Harper, R-Taylorsville, co-chairman of the Transportation Governance and Funding Task Force, said about the proposals.

He told members Thursday that a subcommittee studying how UTA and overall transportation should be governed has narrowed choices to two main options, and both would significantly increase state involvement in the now-independent UTA.

He added the subcommittee found “zero support” for a third option of complete takeover of UTA that would make it a division in the Utah Department of Transportation. Still, the subcommittee also forwarded that for review by the full task force.

Harper said one of the two main options would have the state take over ownership of UTA facilities. New construction would be overseen by UDOT, not UTA — and prioritization of state spending would be up to the Utah Transportation Commission (not the UTA Board).

Transit and highways would compete together for the same big pot of state funding to ensure unified state transportation goals are met. The state would contract for transit operations — probably, but not necessarily, with UTA.

A disadvantage is the state would assume UTA’s current $2 billion in debt. Also, Harper said UTA is planning to borrow by issuing bonds three more times in the next few years to cover needed maintenance of tracks and trains — and the state would have to fund such work itself, possibly by raising sales taxes.

I think any plan they do will include the state absorbing the current debt from UTA. I also see this as a way to get Trax to Lehi/Orem faster than UTA has slated.

This will allow for UTA/State to increase bus service levels. It also increases the odds that FrontRunner will be double tracked and Electrified in the next 20 years.

Bringing at least part of UTA under UDoT helps to remove the need to Double Track I-15 in SL County in places because the money could be spent on FrontRunner, Trax and Bus services all before expanding the highway and for less money.

Time will tell what happens but movement is happening on getting better service levels from Top to Bottom (State to Cities).

Additional information regarding the possible plans: https://le.utah.gov/interim/2017/pdf/00004245.pdf

[Hatman]

I like this idea. Have UDOT build and own transit infrastructure, and let UTA operate it. Sounds sort of like the UK's model of privatization of the rail network - the government owns the tracks but private companies bid to operate the trains.

A side effect of forcing highways to compete with transit for funding is that UDOT will have to come up with a different metric for determining which projects would be successful. Right now too many projects are focused on vehicle congestion, and it doesn't matter what causes that congestion. If you have congestion of 10 buses downtown it matters just as much as congestion of 10 cars in the suburbs.
Hopefully this metric can change to people caring about how many people per hour are moved. In this case the buses would be carrying more people and so would get more funding priority over the single-occupancy cars. In areas where people don't ride the bus, then there would be more incentive to fund the cars, since they would be the primary mover of people in those situations.
I hope something becomes of all this talk of reform. Seeing as how transit expansion has really stalled in the post-Frontlines years, we really don't have that much to lose.