Salt Lake City | Transit and Airport Developments

[redblock]

The first Caltrain EMU has begun low-speed testing at the Stadler assembly plant. I hope someone can get a video.

[delts145]

Unveiling America’s newest airport: Here’s what $4 billion did for the Salt Lake City hub

The first major hub airport replacement of the 21st century will open to travelers Sept. 15

By Katie McKellar for the Deseret News - https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/8/...-dollar-travel

SALT LAKE CITY — State and city leaders unveiled America’s newest airport Thursday.

The massive, multibillion-dollar undertaking to rebuild Salt Lake City International Airport, which has been under construction for the past six years, is about to cross its first finish line when its first buildings open to travelers Sept. 15.

That means that day Utahns — and travelers from across the world — will walk into an airport they’ve never seen before. Utah officials previewed its opening with an unveiling ceremony to show off its grandeur and give the public its first look inside the finished product with tours for members of the media.

“This moment has been 25 years in the making,” Bill Wyatt, executive director of Salt Lake City International Airport, said as he kicked off the unveiling ceremony, telling of how a 1996 city master plan that first envisioned the new airport looks “remarkably” like the one opening in 18 days...

Originally Posted by Reeder113

https://twitter.com/KatieMcKellar1

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[delts145]

Contd...Salt Lake City International

Originally Posted by Reeder113

https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics...rousel-5270254

Originally Posted by Reeder113

https://www.fox13now.com/news/local-...tional-airport

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[SpawnOfVulcan]

Welp, Delta's not going anywhere anytime soon...

[N830MH]

Wow!!! It's so beautiful!!! Can't wait to see it! I'll consider to take a daytrips.

[Atlas]

Salt Lake City’s new $4.1 billion airport is now open, has a smooth takeoff






Source

[delts145]

Salt Lake City International & Delta's Newest Skyclub

Originally Posted by ThePusherMan

I feel like the airport opening today deserves some main thread chatter! The Delta Sky Club looks pretty awesome. https://thepointsguy.com/news/delta-...lake-city/amp/

Originally Posted by Marvland

Just got back from Mexico. Flights were too early/late to really dig in but we rolled through and the Sky club is phenomenal. Vast majority of retail kiosks are not open yet. The entire airport experience is surreal. Felt like I was not in SLC at all. Right on par with some of the off continent airport experiences in Europe and Asia. Newness aside, it is easily the nicest airport in America right now. When it's done it is an absolute game-changer. The biggest change in Utah since the Olympics IMHO.

All images by Zach Griff/The Points Guy

As you pass through “The Canyon,” you’ll catch a first glimpse of the upper-level of the Sky Club. Once you turn right, you’ll immediately see signs for the Sky Club.

https://i1.wp.com/thepointsguy.com/w...1-3.jpeg?ssl=1

The entrance is hard to miss. Once you enter, there are two receptionists to help check you in.




The lobby level is also where you’ll first notice pieces from the lounge’s thoughtful artwork collection. But don’t snap pics just yet, it only gets better once you ascend the escalator.




The first thing you’ll notice is the first of two marble-clad bars with backlit lighting.




To your right is one of the lounge’s many seating areas. In total, there’s seating for more than 340 during the pandemic. That will grow to more than 600 in a post-social distancing era,
hopefully helping to alleviate overcrowding once travel demand returns following the pandemic. There are plenty of seating options here — ranging from high-tops to benches to individual tables.



















The third section has a mixture of workstations and recliners.



Then, you’ll pass through the lounge’s second bar, along with the second buffet before getting to the second main seating area.











For aviation enthusiasts like me, the hands-down best feature of the lounge is the covered Sky Deck, offering unparalleled views of the airfield and Wasatch mountain range.
There’s plenty of seating here, and — thanks to fans and heaters — the Sky Deck is where you’ll find me sitting year-round. Overall, the layout is quite simply one of the best
I’ve seen for airport lounges. The varied seating types, along with the custom-designed finishes, make this a space that you’ll want to visit...Copy By Zach Griff/The Points Guy





7 customer-friendly innovations at Delta’s newest and largest Sky Club that could become the norm

By Zach Griff - https://thepointsguy.com/news/delta-...c-innovations/
In case you missed it, Delta, along with Salt Lake City airport authorities, opened a brand-new terminal.

The new 4 million square foot Phase I terminal represents a massive transformation for flyers passing through SLC. Expect wide hallways, plenty of restrooms, top-notch retailers, 50-foot-high floor-to-ceiling windows and more. Tuesday’s grand opening marks the first phase of a multi-year project aimed at modernizing the nearly 50-year-old facility...

...So let’s now take a closer look at some of the new innovations that Delta employed at this new outpost that we hope keep spreading.

Self-check-in kiosks

Delta’s at the forefront of anti-coronavirus measures with its so-called CareStandard pledge. That promise covers the end-to-end travel journey, including the Sky Club lounges.

And when you enter the SLC lounge for the first time, you’ll notice that there aren’t just two receptionists waiting to greet you behind plexiglass. There are also four self-check-in kiosks that allow you to scan your boarding pass for automated, touchless entry to the lounge. Adding touchless entry kiosks doesn’t just help reduce touchpoints during a pandemic. With SLC being Delta’s busiest western hub, there are thousands of flyers passing through the Sky Club every day.

By automating entry, the carrier is also reducing the number of people queuing to enter.

https://i1.wp.com/thepointsguy.com/w...f-1.jpeg?ssl=1


A digitalized shower queue

In most cases, you’d need to visit a receptionist or shower attendant and get added to a standby list. You’d then receive a pager or a get called on the intercom when the shower was clean. Delta has a solution to modernize this queuing experience. When the showers open at the SLC club, there will be a digital kiosk that you can use to sign up for a shower (and get in line for personalized reservation assistance during irregular operations). You’ll then receive a text message
once the shower is clean and available.

The kiosk first debuted in Detroit, and guests love it, said Claude Roussel, managing director of Sky Clubs. And fortunately, “we’re planning to install it at other lounges,” Roussel added.

https://i1.wp.com/thepointsguy.com/w...-40.jpeg?ssl=1


Phone booths

Have you ever wanted to have a sensitive phone conversation in an airport lounge? Well, unless you’re visiting during an off-peak time, odds are that your seating neighbors overhead what you were saying. In the Salt Lake City outpost,
Delta has a solution. The airline installed six individual Framery phone booths, as well as one handicapped accessible booth. These soundproof rooms are the perfect place to catch up with work or friends back home.Roussel noted that the
phone booths are in a pilot phase in Salt Lake. Hopefully, the airline receives positive feedback and adds them network-wide.

https://i0.wp.com/thepointsguy.com/w...-58.jpeg?ssl=1


Wave-to-enter restrooms

The pandemic has airlines rethinking the number of passenger touchpoints — especially in restrooms. Though touchless flushing and faucets are widespread, entering and exiting the bathroom still usually requires touching a handle.
Unless you’re in the Salt Lake City Sky Club. Both sets of restrooms feature touchless entry and exit. All you need to do is wave your hand by a sensor, and the door automatically opens for you. It’s magic for germaphobes and a welcome improvement for everyone during the pandemic.

https://i1.wp.com/thepointsguy.com/w...1-1.jpeg?ssl=1


Eversys coffee machines

Delta has installed what I’d call the Airbus A350 of coffee machines in the new SLC lounge. The Eversys coffee machines are sleek, modern, easy-to-use and futuristic — just like Delta’s flagship Airbus A350. Each machine has two operating spouts, allowing two guests to dispense coffee at the same time. Furthermore, if one side breaks, the other will remain operational. And finally, the machine is connected to the internet. When beans are running low or a part needs fixing, lounge attendants will receive a push notification — and address it immediately. Each machine has two operating spouts, allowing two guests to dispense coffee at the same time.

https://i2.wp.com/thepointsguy.com/w...-27.jpeg?ssl=1

Locally inspired art

Over the past few years, Delta has opened new lounges in Austin, New Orleans and Phoenix. One similarity across these new Sky Clubs is the tastefully curated artwork adorning the walls. As you might expect,
Delta has upped the ante in its latest club now open at SLC. There are multiple unique installations that exude a sense of calm amidst the otherwise crowded terminal. Many of the pieces are designed by locally renowned artists.
By investing in a regionally inspired art program, Delta’s Sky Clubs begin to look less like airport lounges and more like hotel lobbies.


https://i2.wp.com/thepointsguy.com/w...-64.jpeg?ssl=1


https://i0.wp.com/thepointsguy.com/w...-63.jpeg?ssl=1

The cool new workstations

Delta clearly seems to be listening to customer feedback. (So if you’ve received a post-flight survey, be sure to answer it.) When the carrier opened a new Sky Club in Seattle, it tested out a new seating concept — a souped-up version
of the college lecture desk. These workstations feature a sliding desk, footrest, storage area, lamp and power outlets. According to Roussel, the airline received overwhelmingly positive feedback, and that’s why they’ve been installed
in the new SLC lounge.

https://i0.wp.com/thepointsguy.com/w...-57.jpeg?ssl=1

Bottom Line

Though we’re in the midst of a pandemic, Delta is chugging along with its multiple airport redevelopment projects.

The newest terminal to open in Salt Lake City features a massive, flagship Sky Club that’s sure to be a hit with the carrier’s premium flyers.

As the airline continues building new lounges and renovating existing ones, hopefully, all of the innovations that Delta included in SLC make their way across the network.

All images by Zach Griff/The Points Guy

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[mousquet]

^ I find this stuff just magnificent.

That's why upscale contemporary design is so enjoyable, taking advantage of both modernism and post-modernism.

The pieces of contemporary art really add a fine touch of global culture to the whole thing made up of quality materials.

Well, it's just pretty perfect.

[delts145]

Southern Metro - Utah Valley University - Construction On 1,000-Foot UVU I-15 Pedestrian Bridge & May Updates

BY JOSH ELLIS, KSL TV - https://ksltv.com/425908/constructio...strian-bridge/

Construction has begun on a 1,000-foot bridge that will span Interstate 15 to connect the campus of Utah Valley University with housing and a Utah Transit Authority FrontRunner station.

UVU officials said the joint project between UVU, UTA and the Utah Department of Transportation will help students who commute to the university and alleviate traffic on nearby roads.

“This bridge is a symbol of UVU’s commitment to sustainability, clean air, and reducing traffic,” said UVU President Astrid Tuminez. “We are grateful to the Utah Department of Transportation and the Utah Transit Authority for their vision, resources, and support of this project.”

https://www.sltrib.com/resizer/15xfu...WYDXBQYNCA.jpg

The bridge will include a 15-foot wide walkway with heating elements for snow removal. Officials said the partially-enclosed walkway will have high-capacity elevators and stairs at each end and will have enough space for pedestrians and cyclists.

So far, just over $30 million has been contributed for the project — $4 million from UTA, $6 million from UVU and $20.7 million from UDOT.

I-15 will close for brief periods at night when crews place beams and set concrete. UDOT officials will give two-week advance notices before the closures.

Ground was broken on the bridge last fall with an original completion date of August 2020 — the latest report from UVU officials said the bridge is now scheduled to be completed in November 2020.

The 15-foot wide bridge will have space for cyclists and pedestrians. (UVU)



Bridging the Gap

By: Courtney McKinnon -

https://www.uvu.edu/news/2019/12/121...g_the_gap.html

Architecture preserves the values, culture, and worldview of those who create it. History and politics continue to echo through the halls of the Palace of Westminster. Patrons still visit the Colosseum. The Taj Mahal is the enduring symbol of a broken heart. And the pyramids of Giza have fascinated curious minds for millennia. What we choose to build reflects who we are and the world in which we want to live.

Clark Olsen, president of Utah Pacific Bridge & Steel, is leading construction the next architectural landmark in Utah County — the I-15 pedestrian bridge. It is unlikely to draw tourists, but Olsen says it is destined to be attractive and draw attention to the magnitude of Utah Valley University. With more than 100,000 cars passing under the bridge every day, Clark calls it “a game-changer.”

He says the most significant impact will be on UVU students, faculty, staff, and visiting community members. The vast expanses of steel now being carefully crafted, only a few miles from the construction site, will provide safety, shelter, and direct access to UVU’s campus. The bridge melds classroom buildings on the west of the freeway to those on the east. Commuters arriving at the UTA FrontRunner Orem Central Station and the thousands of students living on the west side of I-15 will also soon have the choice of walking to the main campus.

The bridge is meticulously designed to provide a seamless traveling experience. The 15-foot wide walkway will allow ample space for both pedestrians and cyclists. Each side will have a bicycle stairway for easy bike transportation. An overhead roof will protect travelers from Utah’s variable weather. Heating elements in the floor will clear away snow and ice. And the partially enclosed walkway is designed to give travelers a breathtaking view.

Building bridges has been Olsen’s specialty for the past 45 years. He’s designed, fabricated, transported, and built hundreds of structures across the western United States, and with good reason. The domestic steel used by his company is handled with exactness. It’s processed with blow torches to evaporate any moisture trapped inside. Then, the impure outer layer is removed to guarantee stable welding. Specialized machinery cuts the steel to size within 1/5,000 of an inch. It then goes through stress and ultrasonic testing. In recognition of the company’s care and precision, Utah Pacific Bridge & Steel has received several industry awards. “We are proud of what we do here,” Olsen said. “Our employees are artisans. They really care about the quality of their work, and it shows.”

Olsen has been involved in the planning and development of the pedestrian bridge for the past 20 months. His 45-acre worksite is full of steel girders, web plates, and welded flanges. Each piece is stamped with a unique serial number that is always visible. This ensures that everything is properly assembled, and identifies the mill, roll, and physical and chemical characteristics of the metal. Olsen expects the bridge to stand tall without any issues for more than 60 years.

There are human-made structures that predate written languages, like the Cairn of Barnenez. Some buildings capture history and preserve it, like Notre Dame. And on rare occasions, there are opportunities to embrace change and develop something new.

Utah Valley University has a reputation for building bridges that connect people and help them forge a path to the future. In 2020, please pardon our dust as we work to unite our campus and continue bridging gaps for the entire community.

https://www.uvu.edu/news/2019/12/ima...19_bridgeh.jpg
















May Updates - UVU Pedestrian Bridge Over I-15 Rises

By Barb Smith - https://www.uvu.edu/news/2020/05/050...an_bridge.html

A milestone was reached as a steel beam was set in place Tuesday on a much-anticipated pedestrian bridge at Utah Valley University. The bridge will cover the expanse of Union Pacific and FrontRunner train tracks and I-15.

“This is the longest pedestrian bridge that we are aware of in the state of Utah, with it being almost 1,100 feet in length, as well as being nearly 2 million tons of steel when you add the roof to it,” said Geoff Dupaix, the senior communications manager for UDOT Region 3. “That is the equivalent of about four to five freight engines put together, so that’s a lot of steel.” The bridge will provide a safe, direct route for UVU students and faculty traveling back and forth from housing, the Orem Intermodal UTA transportation Center, and the university’s west campus. Currently, the only pedestrian access is a sidewalk on the I-15 University Parkway interchange. “We think this is an amazing project for the university because it will link 8,000 beds which are located on the other side of the freeway, as well as 25 acres where we have our health professionals’ campus, with our main campus, and basically create a walkable campus which will create an integrated transportation system for the university,” said Val Peterson, vice president of Finance and Administration at Utah Valley University. But, he says, it will also benefit anyone in the community that enjoys the activities and events on the Orem Campus. “It creates a walkable community for our venues such as the UCCU Center where we play sports, where we hold multiple events for the community; it will also link in the Noorda Center with our performing arts, plays, concerts. You will be able to take FrontRunner to Utah Valley University and literally be able to walk over to our campus and attend those events.”...

... “Just having the conversation several years ago about what can be done to make things better over here?” Dupaix also said it is part of a larger conversation about the state. “It really started as a groundswell — just having these conversations from these various organizations, as well as a change of philosophy in how we do our business and how we try to keep people moving in Utah.” How they keep pedestrians “moving” above I-15 involves the creation of a state-of-the-art bridge. It includes a gentle curvature to avoid a “tunnel feeling,” elevators for ADA and bicycle access, extra-wide width, a covered roof with perforated sides for comfort, and a heated deck and roof. Those features allow for a comfortable two and a half to three-minute walk, but they also provide additional safety to pedestrians and the traffic below. “We take a lot of pride in making sure that what we build will hold up and last for decades to come. That is why we added features such as a rooftop to keep people out of the elements as well as heating the bridge deck itself so that you don’t have to worry about any ice or any type of snow accumulating on the bridge, because that not only makes it unsafe for pedestrians but also for the motorists who are driving underneath the bridge,” Dupaix said. An estimated 5,000-6,000 students will use the bridge daily when it opens. Still, the number could reach 20,000 in the future as an expansion of residential development, and the UVU campus occurs on the west side of I-15. Peterson said the project is forward-thinking...

Isaac Hale, Daily Herald - https://www.heraldextra.com/news/loc...80e366c15.html


https://kutv.com/resources/media/db1...?1588968706857


https://static-21.sinclairstoryline....?1588968707164



DRONE FLYOVWER - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN58MKtDvIw

https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fN58MKtDvIw/maxresdefault.jpg



August Updates - UVU Pedestrian Bridge Over I-15 Rises

By Lee Davidson for the Salt Lake Tribune @ https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics...y-night/August 20,2020

To allow work on what will soon be Utah’s longest pedestrian bridge, Interstate 15 will close in both directions in Orem from Saturday at 10:30 p.m. to Sunday at 10 a.m.It will close between University Parkway and
800 North, and traffic will be detoured onto local roads during that time. The Utah Department of Transportation expects significant traffic delays during that time.The closure will allow pouring concrete for the walking surface of a
1,000 foot-long pedestrian bridge between the Utah Transit Authority’s Orem FrontRunner station and the Utah Valley University campus. The bridge will span not only I-15 but also College Drive and railroad tracks for both Union
Pacific and FrontRunner. Between 5,000 and 6,000 students are expected to use the bridge daily once it opens early next year.The Utah Department of Transportation says more than 50 truckloads of concrete will be used Saturday night —
enough to build a 6-foot-wide sidewalk nearly a mile and a half long (approximately 525 cubic yards).
Once complete, the bridge will weigh more than 5 million pounds, have a 15-foot-wide walking surface, and cross approximately 23 feet above the freeway. UDOT says the Utah Valley University Pedestrian Bridge is one of the most significant nonvehicle investments UDOT has ever made, and represents a collaborative effort between UDOT, UVU, and UTA.

(Francisco Kjolseth | The Salt Lake Tribune) UDOT gives a tour of the state’s new longest pedestrian bridge...


https://www.sltrib.com/resizer/zUH0k...ZXASMNGZYA.jpg


Kristin Murphy, Deseret News - https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/8/...he-imagination


Mark Lubaski, journeyman carpenter, works at the construction site of a pedestrian bridge crossing I-15 in Orem on Thursday, Aug. 20, 2020. The bridge is a collaborative effort between the Utah Department of Transportation, Utah Valley University and the Utah Transit Authority, to provide a safe walking and biking route for students, faculty and others. I-15 will close in both directions Saturday, Aug. 22, at 10:30 p.m. to Sunday, Aug. 23, at 10 a.m., as concrete is poured on the bridge. Kristin Murphy, Deseret News


Kristin Murphy, Deseret News

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[N830MH]

Hi all,

Here a video SLC demo phasing.

• Video Link

Old parking garage has already been demolished and now, they will continue to demolish the old terminals and old concourse.

[N830MH]

Hi all,

This is SLC north concourse.

• Video Link


SLC new concourse B open today.

• Video Link

[delts145]

SLC International - Second Phase of Phase I Opens

The second phase of phase I of the new Salt Lake City airport has opened; here’s a first look - https://thepointsguy.com/news/new-slc-airport-b-gates/ By Zach Griff, Nov 19, 2020

There’s exciting news for flyers headed to or from Salt Lake City.

On Sept. 15, city officials, as well as Delta, inaugurated a portion of the new airport with the opening of the first phase of Concourse A. But only select passengers have been able to experience the new facility since mid-September. That’s because the new terminal and its 25 gates primarily serve Delta flights.

As part of the brand-new concourse, flyers have been treated to dramatic art installations, like The Canyon in the main departures hall, sun-soaked gate areas, a plethora of bathrooms, top-notch retailers and much more.

There’s even a brand-new 28,000-square-foot Delta Sky Club welcoming the carrier’s premium flyers. It boasts passenger-friendly amenities like an outdoor deck, two buffets and private workstations.

But what if you’re flying another airline? On Oct. 27, local airport authorities opened the second phase of Phase I of the new airport — Concourse B. And with the opening, all flyers passing through SLC will now pass through a new gate.

I’ve already detailed what phase one of the new SLC looks like, so now let’s take a peek at how the new B gates compare.

To start, every passenger departing from a B gate will need to clear security in the main headhouse. Then, after passing through The Canyon, you’ll need to walk to the underground tunnel connecting the A and B gates.

The walk from the security checkpoint to the tunnel entrance takes about five to seven minutes, and you’ll then need to walk the nearly 1,000-foot tunnel before getting to the B terminal.

Though the trek is long, keep your eyes peeled to the walls — there’s a colorful art installation depicting Utah’s four seasons.






Fortunately, SLC is building a more convenient underground passageway, but that won’t be ready until late 2024. Once open, you’ll be able to head to the B gates right after clearing security, saving you at least ten minutes.


Once you ascend the escalators at the end of the tunnel there are 21 gates, allocated as follows:

Alaska Airlines — one
American Airlines — two
Delta — seven
Frontier — one
JetBlue — one
Southwest — four
United — two
Three common-use gates allocated based on demand
As you walk east, you’ll appreciate the wide hallways.


Continue walking and you’ll approach the end of the concourse near Gates B21 and B24. These gates are primarily reserved for regional jet operator SkyWest since they afford easy access to the ramp for a hard-stand operation.

As you meander through the concourse, you’ll notice that there are bathrooms at nearly every turn. Indeed, the new SLC is proud to offer restroom facilities every 150 feet.

The bathrooms themselves are large, with plenty of stalls and sinks. Each features a different art installation as well.

All 21 gates have a ton of seating, as well as power outlets and — my personal favorite — USB-C ports. As more and more phones support faster USB-C charging (like the new iPhone 12 Pro), this is a feature I hope other airports add soon.

If you’re hungry, there are three new restaurants in the B concourse, including Gourmandise Euro Diner and Bakery, Uinta Brewing Company and Wasatch Brew Pub. Indoor dining is currently permitted in the airport, and flyers seemed to be enjoying their meals.

There’s also a selection of retailers offering conveniences like drinks and snacks, magazines and newspapers, tech gear and more. As passenger throughput increases, several additional restaurants and shops are slated to open.

Concourse B is large enough to handle current levels of demand. But, hopefully, demand will pick up we recover from the pandemic. If it does, SLC is prepared; the airport has the ability to add eight additional B gates in a second construction phase and 15 more in a third phase.In the meantime, now that the first phase of B gates is open, construction returns to the A gates. Specifically, the airport is working to complete the demolition of the old C, D and F concourses, as well as the international terminal — all while building 22 more gates in Concourse A East. All photos by Zach Griff/The Points Guy

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[delts145]

Downtown - Central Transit Station

Originally Posted by Hatman

Since the discussion is on the Gateway and the Depot District, now is probably as good a time as any to drop the final draft of the Rio Grande Plan in this thread:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1e2Z...ew?usp=sharing (PDF Warning)

It's basically the same plan as before, but now the document is only 18 pages long. Forum member cj.blakely provided the absolutely beautiful renderings, which (IMO) need to be posted here separately so that he can get all the praise he deserves.

Here is just a taste:

Existing



Proposed

As always, if you see anything horribly wrong, (poor words, ugly formatting, errors, etc) please let me know so I can fix them before sending this to the big wigs.

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[delts145]

Say goodbye to the old: Months of demolition underway at Salt Lake airport

By Daedan Olander Nov 24, 2020, 5:10pm MST - https://www.deseret.com/utah/2020/11...t-lake-airport

SALT LAKE CITY — For the rest of 2020, the Salt Lake City International Airport will be a dichotomy of newly built facilities and the husks of old terminals and empty concourses. It’s the price of tearing down an old airport,
while at the same time replacing it with a brand-new one. The former airport’s buildings are stripped and barren. Crews have salvaged the buildings of any valuables, and most of what is left are empty stores and disassembled parts...

Workers dismantle the old parking garage and terminals at the Salt Lake City International Airport on Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2020. Scott G Winterton, Deseret News


Photos show demolition of old Salt Lake International Airport. (Robin Pendergrast)

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[delts145]

FrontRunner double-tracking could see big infusion of state funding

https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics...ay-next-years/


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C-XwGS6V0AAy_vq.jpg

Legislative leaders believe the state may be flush with cash to spend on one-time construction, transportation projects.
Among items high on the wish list for some are adding a second parallel track to the FrontRunner commuter train, along with road construction and maintenance.

“We have been wanting to bond for some roads and double-track FrontRunner for a couple of years. It’s likely we will try and get it done this year,” House Majority Whip Mike Schultz, R-Hooper, said.

The proposed improvements include “strategic” double-tracking between Ogden and Provo, which would allow trains to run every 15 minutes during peak hours. There are also plans in the works to offer express trains that would have one, or even zero stops before the destination station.

“Those express trains could shave 20 minutes or more off the commute time. It’s the biggest thing we can do to ease congestion along the I-15 corridor,” Schultz said.
These improvements would cost approximately $450 million, with the federal government, Utah Transit Authority and state government each paying a portion, he said.

The Utah Transit Authority issued a statement Monday that double-tracking would help to improve the reliability, frequency and capacity of its FrontRunner trains.

About 70% of the 90-mile FrontRunner system from Provo to Ogden now runs on a single, shared track, so trains may pass each other only at stations and a few sidings. A delay at one station, for example, can cause a ripple effect of delays down the entire line.

FrontRunner trains may now run about every half hour at most. Double-tracking could cut that in half, to allow service every 15 minutes.

“Local funding would also put UTA in the position of competing for existing and future funding opportunities at the federal level,” the agency added. It said it has been “working with legislators on providing information and potential options that would prepare for our future growth and further build upon FrontRunner’s success and importance to the region.” ...

Originally Posted by Makid

It is nice to see that this is a high priority for the State and getting FrontRunner double tracked enough to move to 15 minute frequencies will have a large impact to the ridership.

I hope that the State offers up enough funds to get the project moving quickly so that we can eventually get all the gaps filled in and have a fully double tracked system that we can then electrify. This would allow the trains to move faster and further reduce the travel times.

Lastly, I do like the idea of the Express trains. This would really help for the morning and evening commutes.

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[delts145]

New plan puts trains in Downtown SLC underground – and makes the Rio Grande depot a real central station

https://utawesome.com/sites/default/...?itok=7MK3VgEN



Luke Garrott Reports, Dec. 31, 2020 - Full Article & Additional Photos @ https://www.buildingsaltlake.com/new...ntral-station/

Removing the train yards that remain in west Downtown Salt Lake City opens 52 acres of developable land, claim the authors of an uncommissioned plan currently bubbling in SLC development circles.

The informal visioning document – titled the Rio Grande Plan – claims to solve problems that have dogged the area for decades: at-grade railroad crossings, unused tracks blocking mobility and new construction, massive bridges erasing street frontage, a dead zone around the central transit station on 600 West.

Authored by a Salt Lake City engineer-designer duo, Christian Lenhart and Cameron Blakely, the Rio Grande Plan has buzzed up the city’s SkyscraperPage and Reddit urban development forums this December.

Former Redevelopment Agency Executive Director DJ Baxter, who oversaw planning for trains under Mayors Rocky Anderson and Ralph Becker, called the plan “very ambitious and very exciting” in an email to Building Salt Lake.

City Planning Director Nick Norris, whose team will be meeting with the plan’s authors in early January, saw “a fairly impressive proposal” at first blush...

The Rio Grande Plan's reimagining of the Depot District cleared of rails and the Rio Grande Depot revived as a transit center. Image courtesy Christian Lenhart and Cameron Blakely.

...The first goal of the Rio Grande Plan, according to Christian Lenhart, PE, is to increase safety by removing at-grade railroad crossings. The plan shows how the crossings at 900, 800, and 200 South will be eliminated, along with the crossing at 800 West and South Temple.

Tracks at 900 S (left), 800 S, and 200 S (right) would disappear, lifting major barriers between west and east sides. Photos by Luke Garrott.

How? A nine-block-long, 6-track subterranean “train box” below 500 West from South Temple to 900 South. Since the trench is a concrete structure, its cost is significantly lower than other tunnel-digging technologies, like boring. The cost is estimated at $300-500M, using comparable projects recently completed in Denver and Reno. Funding sources could include the federal government, city bonds backed by TIF, contributions by UTA, UDOT, and Union Pacific.

The entire project fits below the existing 500 West right-of-way, making any additional acquisition of land unnecessary. Image courtesy Christian Lenhart and Cameron Blakely.

UP may be highly enthusiastic about the project, Lenhart contends, given its current “aggressive program of closing at-grade railroad crossings.” Efficiency and safety operations would be greatly enhanced by a subterranean right-of-way through Downtown while closing four crossings.

Only TRAX trains and busses would be at surface grade in Downtown. Amtrak, commuter rail, intercity rail, and freight rail would all be underground in the city center, from South Temple to 900 South...

...The authors also note the positives beyond safety of removing the train tracks at 200, 800, and 900 South: reducing a major barrier between east and west in the city.

While every driver has suffered lost productivity while waiting for trains to pass, the train tracks also rob the city of connective fabric. Take away the train tracks, and the harsh, gaping geographical expanse that runs north-south down the middle of the city – created by the railroad and Interstate rights-of-way – can be narrowed.

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[NikolasM]

Nice plan. Looks good and seems entirely sensible.

[delts145]

Southern Metro, Utah Valley University Pedestrian Bridge Opens

The new pedestrian bridge connecting Utah Valley University with the Utah Transit Authority’s FrontRunner Orem Central Station is pictured during its unveiling on Thursday, Jan.14, 2021.
Crews will continue putting the finishing touches on the bridge over the next few weeks, with an expected opening in early February. Laura Seitz, Deseret News

New pedestrian bridge will provide safety, save time for Utah Valley students - Deseret News - January 14, 2021 - Jason Lee Reporting: https://www.deseret.com/utah/2021/1/...alley-students

OREM — For nearly three years, Oumar Traore has taken the long way around the I-15 freeway to get to class at Utah Valley University.

A junior majoring in information technology who lives just west of campus, his alternatives are to walk along a frontage road then proceed along heavily traveled University Parkway in Orem, or wait for sparsely scheduled buses, or to brave speeding traffic by dashing across the freeway to get to the other side.

Soon that commuting nightmare will be a thing of the past. On Thursday, the ribbon was cut on a new pedestrian bridge that will make getting to the main campus east of the freeway a whole lot easier and much faster, too...

Utah Valley University mascot Willy the Wolverine, left, President Astrid Tuminez and others celebrate the opening of the new pedestrian bridge connecting UVU with the Utah Transit Authority’s
FrontRunner Orem Central Station on Thursday, Jan.14, 2021. Crews will continue putting the finishing touches on the bridge over the next few weeks, with an expected opening in early February. Laura Seitz, Deseret News

...“I’m a commuter student. I actually come from Eagle Mountain across Utah Lake, so it’s a little bit of a drive for me to get here,” she explained. “Having the option of taking the FrontRunner (commuter rail) and just being able to cross the bridge and be on campus is going to be so great where I don’t have to fight traffic anymore.”

The new pedestrian bridge connects Utah Valley University with the Utah Transit Authority’s FrontRunner Orem Central Station. The $30.7 million bridge was built through a partnership with UVU, UTA, the Utah Department of Transportation, along with the city of Orem and the state Legislature. The high-tech span measures more than three football fields at 1,000 feet long and 15 feet wide, making it the largest pedestrian bridge in Utah.

“This bridge is a one-of-a-kind triumph,” Val Peterson, UVU vice president of finance and administration, said. “Its construction began with a question — how we can safely connect pedestrians on one side of our campus with the other — and the larger question of how to more easily connect the community with UVU? I believe we have done just that.”

The bridge was built using 15,000 square feet of heated concrete that will melt snow and ice in the cold weather months. It also has a full-coverage roof to provide shelter from the elements, an elevator, and the walkway is lined with 125 lights and 18 security cameras for added safety.

Construction was aided by using locally sourced materials to make the finished product.

“One of the interesting things that I found was the girders. The steel underneath the bridge was manufactured at a plant right off of Geneva Road,” said UDOT engineer David Gill. “We were able to go and tour that plant and see how they build those girders — the steel beams to construct the bridge. That was fascinating for me as an engineer.”...


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[delts145]

It’s cheaper than a train, more expensive than a bus. Is it the solution to canyon gridlock?

https://www.deseret.com/utah/2021/1/...-alta-snowbird

By Katie McKellar - ...Picture looking out a window from a cable car suspended high above Little Cottonwood Canyon, framed by the Wasatch Mountains. It glides along over 8 miles of cable, all the way toward the top of the canyon, with a stop first at Snowbird ski resort, then at Alta. The ride is about 30 to 40 minutes, depending on your destination.

It’s a snow day — with canyon roads closed for avalanche control. While drivers wait for the canyon road to reopen, you’re sitting and waiting with more than a dozen others clad in snow gear, skis in hand, ready to step out to the ski resort. Then the slopes.

It’s a gondola system so large, it’s the first of its kind in Utah. Think Snowbird’s Ariel Tram — but cables five times as long and with 30 seated gondolas. Think way bigger — like the gondolas in Switzerland or Austria...

...It’s competing with at least two other options to tackle a problem that’s troubled Metro Salt Lake City’s Wasatch mountains for more than 30 years — but made much worse by the sheer amount of people that head to those mountains for the “greatest snow on earth.”

It’s up against a train — or a cog railway — or enhanced bus service with avalanche sheds. All three solutions have their supporters and their detractors, whether it’s because of environmental impact, cost, or debate around whether they’d actually help the traffic problems or just enable more and more people to crowd up through the canyon and onto the mountains.

Even though Govenor Cox said he’s “leaning” toward a gondola, that doesn’t mean the decision’s been made. He was quick to add that the public process needs to play out first — including the work of the Central Wasatch Commission and a separate study underway by the Utah Department of Transportation — before picking a solution. “Ultimately,” he said, “this is a decision that we’ll be making in conjunction with the Legislature because it’s a really big one.”...

Photo of traffic congestion at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon. Because traffic on a powder day up to Alta Ski Area and Snowbird equates to living hell, one of the proposed solutions to mitigate traffic in Little Cottonwood Canyon has captured Utah’s Governor Spencer Cox’s attention.



Buses, gondola or train?

So far, the work to improve the path to Snowbird and Alta’s world-class skiing in Little Cottonwood Canyon and overall access to the Wasatch mountains is focused on the following alternatives, many with big price tags.

- Enhanced bus service with no road widening (with 24 buses at six buses per hour to each resort) would cost $334 million to put into place and $10.3 million in annual winter operation costs, according to according to UDOT’s environmental impact study. Widening the road as well would bring the upfront costs to $481 million.

Explaining an early preference toward a gondola, it would be “cheaper than the train solution, but more expensive than the bus solution.”

...It would be more “weather immune.” Snowstorms as well as avalanches and avalanche control add to traffic jams in the canyons, pushing traffic into neighborhoods as skiers line up in their cars and wait for the roads to open.

“The way the gondola works, we wouldn’t have to worry about that...

... A 30-gondola base station at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon with bus service from two hubs would cost an estimated $576 million plus about $8.3 million to operate, UDOT estimated. A gondola with a base station built east of the La Caille restaurant at 9565 S. Wasatch Blvd, which would also have 30 cars, would cost an estimated $576 million to build and $6.9 million to operate.

- A cog rail with four train cars — with a station also based near the La Caille restaurant — would cost an estimated $1.05 billion and $6.3 million to operate, according to UDOT estimates...

...a gondola could also enhance canyon recreation in the summer months as it could become a “tourist attraction in and of itself.”

“Just the ability to move people at such a high rate of speed and get people up and down very quickly — it’s much more efficient than the bus system would be. And it also has the support of the partners and the ski resorts. There’s a willingness there for them to participate on the private side to reduce the cost to taxpayers, so there’s an opportunity to bring those costs down as they pay for some of that as well.”...

...Dave Fields, president and general manager of Snowbird, said the gondola is the “solution that truly checks all of the boxes.”

“It’s the safest and most economical and efficient way to move people in the mountains,” Fields said. “I’ve spent my whole life coming up and down this canyon, and really the problem has not changed in decades. ... The problem is not being helped by having more vehicles on the road. We need to look at different ideas that work in all weather conditions and take cars off the highways.”

Asked whether a gondola would only bring more people up the canyons if it wasn’t paired with some sort of disincentive to get people off the road, Fields said he’s been supportive of a toll on the canyon road.

“We think tolling may end up being an important part of the equation,” he said.

The La Caille gondola has especially garnered support of ski industry stakeholders, including Snowbird, Alta, Ski Utah and other organizations. They’ve created a website called Gondolaworks.com, which lobbies for the La Caille base station gondola as a more environmentally friendly alternative to a train and one that would not be impacted by canyon closures for avalanche control.

A 3S gondola is pictured in Ischgl, Austria. A similar gondola has been proposed to service skiers in Little Cottonwood Canyon, with a base station at either the park-and-ride at the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon or a base station east of the La Caille restaurant at 9565 S. Wasatch Blvd., in Sandy It’s one of five proposals included as viable options for transportation solutions in Little Cottonwood Canyon, according to a Utah Department of Transportation environmental impact study. Dave Fields, Snowbird.

A rendering shows a gondola base station proposed to be built east of the La Caille restaurant at 9565 S. Wasatch Blvd., in Sandy, It’s one of five proposals included as viable options for transportation solutions in Little Cottonwood Canyon, according to a Utah Department of Transportation environmental impact study. Dave Fields, Snowbird

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[SIGSEGV]

For mountainous terrain the cable car has obvious advantages!