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  #81  
Old Posted Jul 29, 2008, 4:09 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by arkhitektor View Post
Taking 'rush' out of rush hour
More elbow room on that commute? Thank high gas prices

By Brandon Loomis
The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 07/29/2008 06:28:31 AM MDT

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_10028472

It seems that FrontRunner is taking more cars off the road, and that the remaining drivers are noticing the difference. By the time that Legacy Parkway opens this fall and takes another 33% of cars off of I-15, the Davis Co. commute isn't going to be the hellish ordeal that it was just a year ago.
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  #82  
Old Posted Aug 13, 2008, 5:02 AM
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Ground broken for Utah Co. FrontRunner - Newest 44-mile long line will serve southern metro.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1...tator-cvr-7006


A FrontRunner train is displayed at the groundbreaking of the future Lehi station. (Ashley Lowery, Deseret News)

...James Simpson, administrator for the Federal Transit Administration exclaimed..."Most of you only know what goes on in the Salt Lake City region and you don't have a way to compare," Simpson said. "We go around the country and if we were going to grade this like in school, Salt Lake City gets an A+ and the norm is a C to a D. So you really have a tremendous team here."

Tuesday's groundbreaking marks the beginning of a two- to three-year process of bringing the commuter rail from Salt Lake City to Provo. The new 44-mile line will have eight stops, currently planned in Salt Lake City, Murray, Sandy/South Jordan, Draper/Bluffdale, Lehi, American Fork, Orem and Provo.

FrontRunner South is part of the Front Lines 2015 project, which also includes the Mid-Jordan and West Valley TRAX lines currently under construction, as well as the Draper and Airport TRAX lines, which will break ground within the next year.

Last edited by delts145; Aug 14, 2008 at 1:34 PM.
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  #83  
Old Posted Aug 14, 2008, 11:13 AM
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Wow,!! With CCC, Station Park, Sugarhouse, The Cottonwood and now the huge HAFB all underway,not to mention everything else, such as the TOD's, TRAX and FrontRunner, say's a lot about the confidence in the future of the Wasatch Front.

Work on Station Park TOD gets under way - $200M center will have 6-story hotel, ice skating rink, shops, restaurants

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/1...250697,00.html



CenterCal Properties

FARMINGTON — So what if the earth movers, graders, steamrollers and front-end loaders jumped the gun by a week? It's about time that developers officially began work on Station Park, a mixed-use development on 62 acres right next to Farmington's FrontRunner station.
Wednesday, while the yellow machines worked, officials and business leaders gathered for an official groundbreaking ceremony.

Developer Rich Haws began buying land in 1996 to build what's known as a transit-oriented development, or TOD.

TODs are popular because they give commuters a chance to spend money as soon as they get off of a train or other mode of transit. It's the same reason gas stations like to locate next to freeway offramps.

...CenterCal is currently in negotiations with retail and restaurant tenants, some of whom will be new to Utah, said Craig Trottier, CenterCal vice president of development, recently. The developer will also eventually begin leasing office space, as well.

Crews are working on building an offramp that will feed directly into Station Park from Park Lane. And architects are pursuing design standards to earn LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

CenterCal expects to open Station Park in the spring of 2010.


Quote:
Originally Posted by stevena07 View Post
Station Park TOD... Work begins



From Frontrunner btw

That would be my bright shirt in the way, sorry...


stevena07

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Last edited by delts145; Aug 20, 2008 at 11:14 AM.
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  #84  
Old Posted Aug 15, 2008, 1:57 PM
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"Map of the Frontrunner South:"



http://rideuta.com/images/ProposedStations051407.jpg

Utah Valley University, soon to be one of several station sites


.

Last edited by delts145; Aug 15, 2008 at 2:13 PM.
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  #85  
Old Posted Aug 20, 2008, 11:00 AM
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Fireclay TOD, Phase I nearing completion

Quote:
Originally Posted by SLC Projects View Post
Fireclay update!

I am really starting to fall in love with this project.








Even with the downturn of the housing market. It looks like these guys are selling their units just fine.


SLC Projects
I love the brick work.



It looks dead now, but i'm sure oneday this sidewalk will be filled with people.



Could this be the start of phase two?



This guy in the car was like...."Why the hell are you taking a picture of me?"
Looks like crews have broken ground for Phase two just across the street.



One day the building will expand here.



Maybe this is phase three?



Shortcut






Two Thumbs up for this project.

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  #86  
Old Posted Aug 22, 2008, 9:54 AM
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For the Frontrunner, are they going to connect the Sandy or Draper station with Trax?
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  #87  
Old Posted Aug 22, 2008, 12:35 PM
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^^^
At this time, there are proposed track alignments at 1000 south in Sandy and also Draper, that would connect TRAX and FrontRunner. Check out this site for the detailed maps: http://www.rideuta.com/projects/drap...Rail/maps.aspx Whether there will be a transfer station in the immediate future or the possibility left open has yet to be determined. I guess a lot will depend on what happens with the current overview process now underway for Sandy and Draper itself. I imagine that because of the continuing population surge in the southern metro, there will be at the very least, an accomodation for transfer station capability in the near future. Soon, there will a need to extend lightrail/TRAX into Lehi, Am.Fork,Provo,etc.

The population of Utah Valley is expected to more than double within a very short while. Given the many barriers of a major lake and mountains, I think it is only probable that FrontRunner will need to be augmented by another option such as TRAX.

Even with a major freeway proceeding through Cedar Valley, and the current expansion of I-15, surface parkways, along with FrontRunner, that will not be sufficient to handle the traffic over on the east and north sides of Utah Lake.

There is a major bottleneck developing along the southern metro corridor that will be every bit as challenging as the corridor to the north of Downtown Salt Lake. I think that twenty years from now, several options will have to be fully utilized in order to keep the north/south flow of traffic running smoothly into the CBD of downtown from Utah Valley.

Your very familiar with the area Anyiliang. What do you envision?

Project Overview - Summer 2008:

The Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC), Salt Lake County’s metropolitan planning organization, and the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) have identified the need for a high-capacity transit option in the southern part of Salt Lake County. This transportation solution will maintain mobility and meet the long-term travel needs of the growing region as outlined in the 2030 Long Range Transportation Plan developed by WFRC.

UTA, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Transit Administration (FTA), is currently preparing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to evaluate the extension of fixed guideway light-rail transit service through the cities of Sandy and Draper to the southernmost part of Salt Lake County. Included in the study will be a two-track extension of the existing UTA North-South Light-Rail Transit (TRAX) line from its current terminus at 10000 South in Sandy to about 14600 South in Draper along the UTA-owned right-of-way.

The study area for the project is about 26.5 square miles and begins at the current end-of-line 10000 South station of the UTA North-South Light-Rail Transit (TRAX) line. It is generally bounded on the north by 10000 South, on the east by 1300 East and a line 1 mile east of the UTA-owned railroad right-of-way, on the south by a line 1 mile south of 14600 South, and on the west by the western Draper city limits and the Jordan River. The study area is located primarily in the cities of Sandy and Draper and includes parts of White City, South Jordan, and Bluffdale.

Last edited by delts145; Aug 22, 2008 at 1:36 PM.
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  #88  
Old Posted Aug 22, 2008, 3:39 PM
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Originally Posted by arkhitektor View Post
Of the three Draper aligments in the link above, only the third is still in the running. Thats the alignment that UTA already owns and the neighbors that were pushing for the other routes lost in court earlier this year.

When and if TRAX is eventually extended to Draper, it will be entirely on the east side of I-15. Since Frontrunner will be entirely on the west side, there is no opportunity left for a direct transfer station in Sandy or Draper.



The only transfer station planned for FrontRunner S. will be at 5300 S. in Murray.
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  #89  
Old Posted Aug 27, 2008, 3:21 PM
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TOD - To Be Constructed at 1700 South



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  #90  
Old Posted Aug 27, 2008, 5:32 PM
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I'm not sure that one is transit-oriented as much as transit-adjacent. It looks like a fairly typical insular suburban apartment pod that just happens to be next to the station. SLC can definitely do better.

Fireclay looks interesting, though.
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  #91  
Old Posted Aug 27, 2008, 7:04 PM
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Are these Colorado Rail Car passenger commuter trains?
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  #92  
Old Posted Aug 27, 2008, 8:07 PM
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No. The coaches are from Bombardier and the locamotive is from MotivePower.

Colorado Railcar produces DMUs. The FrontRunner is true traditional rail, not DMU (though FrontRunner could choose to use DMUs in the future).
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  #93  
Old Posted Aug 28, 2008, 6:59 PM
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Lightbulb

Quote:
Originally Posted by SnyderBock View Post



Are these Colorado Rail Car passenger commuter trains?
No. Colorado Rail cars can be self propelled. All DMU cars are self propelled.
DMU is short for Diesel Multiple Unit. DMUs are made by many different manufactures, including Colorado Rail Cars.

In the Frontrunner photos included in this thread, you should notice the diesel locomotive at the front, or rear of the train. There are no passenger seats in the locomotive, just a few seats for the engineer and brakeman.

Here's are two photos of a Colorado Railcar DMU unit.

Single Level DMU


Double Level DMU


Note the lack of a dedicated diesel locomotive. The diesel engines are built within the passenger cars. As can be seen in both photos, Colorado Railcar also make just passengers cars, that don't have diesels.

Colorado Railcar equipment is FRA compliant, all their equipment can be used on same tracks with active freight trains.

There's many vendors who make FTA compliant streetcars, light rail, and DMU cars. The major difference, besides two different US governing agencies, between the two vehicles types is how strong they are built to survive a collision. FRA (Federal Railway Administration) compliant vechiles are built to withstand a crash with a freight train with little damage (on Train Tracks); whereas FTA (Federal Transit Administration) compliant vehicles are built to withstand a crash with a semi tractor truck with little damage (on Highways). I would like to note a freight train weighs much more than a truck.

That's the reason you'll find FTA compliant vehicles running down city street lanes, but you will not find FRA compliant vehicles running down city streets lanes, instead if they cross highways or streets, there's usually some form of crossing signal.

Here's some FTA compatible, Non FRA compatible DMUs in service in North America today. Note they also don't have diesel locomotives, and that the diesel engine is built into the passenger cars.

Ottawa's O Train by Bombardier


San Diego North County's Sprinter by Siemens


NJT's River Line by Stadler


You will not find Colorado Railcar FRA compatible DMUs running within city streets. But you can find them running on the same tracks as freight trains, at the same time.

You will not find the other non FRA compatible DMUS running on the same tracks as freight trains, but can find them running down city streets because they are FTA compatible.

I hope this helps you understand the difference between FRA and FTA compatible, and how that rating affects with what other trains they can run with.


You will not find these other
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  #94  
Old Posted Aug 31, 2008, 1:32 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by T-Mac View Post
Downtown SLC - Freeway, Light Rail and Commuter Rail Adj. - Bridges at Citifront


Site Plan, Multi level parking to the rear





T-Mac
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  #95  
Old Posted Aug 31, 2008, 6:32 PM
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Which Alternative do you like?
I like C the most because of it has the most possibilities.


Alternative A. Having the Frontrunner at 102 S. and Trax on 106 S. would be nice. Not to far from each other. Plus the two will connect for the Draper Bluffdale station. Also the 123 S. spot is a good place for a station.

On Alternative B, it is not bad but have the 100 and 106 S. stations so close and not even connect to the Frontrunner is not good. Also, the 146 S. station does not connect to the Frontrunner.


Alternative C is nice because it goes to Draper city center. If only the 146 S. would connect to the Frontrunner, this one would be nice. Plus the positive thing about connecting the 146 S. station to the Frontrunner is that in the future they can build out to Day Break from there and also to Utah Valley. That station could become a major Southern Metro Hub. Plus on C UTA already owns the rail line so it would be fast to build there and from the 106 S. station they can build a new line heading West down 106 S. to connect to the Frontrunner there and on through South Jordan.





Alternative A




Alternative B



Alternative C




http://www.rideuta.com/projects/drap...Rail/maps.aspx

Thx Delts for the link...

Last edited by anyiliang; Aug 31, 2008 at 6:52 PM.
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  #96  
Old Posted Aug 31, 2008, 8:10 PM
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For those that may not be aware, Alternative C has been approved as the route for the Trax Draper line extension.
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  #97  
Old Posted Sep 7, 2008, 2:30 PM
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Legacy Preserve
Legacy Parkway: Utah's ultimate political compromise ready for commuters at last

Northern Metro: Drive Interstate 15 south to Salt Lake City? Board a bus? Hop on a train? Or, starting Saturday, cruise Utah's first four-lane parkway as it snakes along the grassy horizon where shorebirds dance just east of the Great Salt Lake.
It's a menu that seemed unimaginable a decade ago, when the only way was the clogged freeway and environmentalists fought against paving Legacy Parkway through a world-acclaimed bird habitat, demanding a transit-first solution to a jammed I-15.
Opponents sued, dubbing Legacy a "sprawlway" that would spawn development and induce traffic, not curb it. Proponents told them to get real: Trains never could carry the load. The divided highway had become a divisive highway.
Ultimately, though, it became a defining highway when an amicable resolution - after years of courtroom dueling and backroom dealing - greenlighted the $685 million parkway and signaled a new path in transportation planning, one in which environmentalists and transit backers no longer would stand as outsiders, but rather as partners with the state.
"There's no question they're a player," said Utah Transportation Commission Chairman Stuart Adams, a former Layton city councilman and state lawmaker who backed both rail and the road. "We can do a whole lot more together than we can apart."

contd...
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_10402682



Legacy Parkway opens to public on Saturday

By Lynn Arave
Deseret News



Workers put finishing touches on concrete supports to a small information booth located at a trailhead that runs along the Legacy Parkway. The jordan River trail system links up with the Legacy Parkway troail system in North Salt Lake. (Michael Brandy, Deseret News)

Forget that the Legacy Parkway is joyfully expected to take 30 percent of the cars off I-15 in south Davis County.
(That's three out of every 10 cars there now, or about 45,000 total.)

Never mind that it should improve air quality in the area, because of less congestion.

Ignore the fact that it will provide a viable, multilane option through northern Utah when I-15 is closed or restricted due to an accident. Overlook that after $685.2 million, more than 7 1/2 years of combined work and delays, this four-lane and 14-mile-long highway will finally open in just six more days.

There's so much more to the Legacy Parkway, which opens about 5 p.m. Saturday.


A pedestrian overpass connects to a parking lot allowing access to the trailhead near Woods Cross. (Mike Terry, Deseret News)

• The Legacy Parkway — state Route 67 — is the first parkway in Utah to be given the scenic byway designation before construction was finished. It will be a far different driving experience than I-15.

• The road purposely curves frequently to enhance its scenic qualities.

• Being farther west than I-15, its views of the Wasatch Mountains are extraordinary.

• Semitrailers are not allowed on the highway, with the exception of during accidents or problems on I-15.

• Most of the architectural features — guard rails, overpasses, etc. — are unique and worth close inspection. Some of the road's overpasses boast decorative nighttime illumination.

• The rock work on overpasses strengthens a "gateway" or "portal" effect when driving through.

• Signs along Legacy are shorter and less unsightly.

• As an asphalt highway, Legacy is designed to be much quieter than I-15.

• There's both a paved foot-bike-horse trail that goes alongside the road as well as a separate unpaved path. Numerous special parking lots along the east side of Legacy offer easy access to these trails.


Cameras are installed on Legacy Parkway, which runs from North Salt Lake to the Highway 89 interchange in Farmington. (Mike Terry, Deseret News)

"It's been a great project," Rick Campagna, one of the three project managers for the Legacy Parkway, said. "It's a work of art."

Vic Saunders, a spokesman for UDOT Region 1, believes the estimate of taking 30 percent of cars off I-15 is reasonable. That's because southbound Highway 89 through Farmington dumps right into Legacy. You can exit to I-15, but that's not the norm.

"If I lived in east Davis County I would take Legacy," Saunders said.

Also, once you get on the Legacy Parkway, there are only two possible exits until its end — an exit at Parrish Lane in Centerville and another at 500 South in Bountiful.

Similarly, if you are driving north on I-215, that freeway will lead directly into Legacy, unless you exit to the east to connect with I-15.

Lynn de Freitas, executive director for Friends of the Great Salt Lake, took a tour of the Legacy Parkway a few weeks ago.

"I'm delighted. ... There's a lot going for it," she said, hoping it will set a pattern for more "multimodal answers" to transportation problems.
"Turning a freeway into a parkway" is a very good environmental solution, she believes.

Former Rep. Stuart Adams, R-Layton, was part of a team of lawmakers pushing for the Legacy Parkway settlement to pass. Today Adams is head of the state's Transportation Commission.

"It's phenomenal to have the road open," Adams said. "None of us knew it would take this long. ... It will be significant for those who commute to Salt Lake, almost emotional."

He said he's met north Davis County commuters in recent years who found it has been easier to travel I-84 up Weber Canyon to Park City and then down I-80 to reach Salt Lake City rather than go on congested I-15 in Davis County.

"That's not economical," Adams said, believing the Legacy Parkway will result in an improved quality of life for northern Utah residents.

"Sept. 13 will be a great day for all northern Utah," Adams said. "It has been a significant effort for everyone involved."

Campagna said all the Legacy legal delays meant UDOT had to totally redo its plans and obviously led to the parkway's creation — a big plus for aesthetics as well as recreational users.

"The trails weren't a required component for the roadway," he stressed.
The trails associated with Legacy are simply amazing and will all open when the highway does. They interconnect with other trails, like the old Denver & Rio Grande rail trail and the Jordan River Parkway. All paths also have overpasses or underpasses to safely traverse Legacy.

Campagna said no one at UDOT knew what a parkway involved when that concept came along. Visits back east were necessary.

He stressed there's still a lot of landscaping work yet to do after the highway opens. However, an 8-inch waterline to water vegetation along the highway is already in place. Trail segments, too, will have to close again in coming months for more landscaping work.

"The nature preserve is the crown jewel of this project," Campagna said.

This is a 2,225-acre wildlife preserve on Legacy's west side and east of the shores of the Great Salt Lake.

"We drew a line in the sand," he said. Development will never occur west of the Legacy Highway, as an environmental protection. Campagna said UDOT cleaned tons of garbage and debris on this land and returned it to its original state. It also moved power lines and utilities. Now a single high voltage line remains, because it was too expensive to move.

One improvised telephone pole in this area serves as an eagle's nest.

Campagna also said that UDOT was able to preserve extra pockets of wetlands along Legacy that total another 20 acres.

Near Glovers Lane in Farmington, Legacy will soon feature a section of flowering plum trees in one section of the median. He also said that Legacy doesn't have drainage in its inside median. There will be lakes of water there in spring, or after rainfall, as was the plan.
To some anxious commuters, perhaps the lone downside to Legacy will be the 55 mph speed limit.

Will the Utah Highway Patrol be strictly enforcing that speed limit from day one?

UHP spokesman Cameron Roden said his department will first look at the voluntary compliance of motorists for the 55 mph limit before considering any special enforcement there.

But troopers will patrol the new roadway, and speeders should beware. Roden said the UHP may enlist the aid of the Davis County Sheriff's Office, if necessary, to adequately patrol the road.

Once Legacy opens, commuters in Davis County aren't totally in the clear yet. Work on Highway 89 in North Salt Lake may continue for another week or so. Also, the "lane gain" project between Farmington and Layton may go on until Dec. 1.

For more information on the Legacy Parkway, go to www.dot.state.ut.us/legacy.




Dept. of Transportation

This photo illustrates some of the unique transportation challenges that face metropoltan Salt Lake City. Mountains and large bodies of water surround the metro, creating diverse bottlenecks and massive barrier walls.

Rick Seafoss - Astranaut - Photos from Space

Enhancing Traffic Flow

With the third-fastest growing population in the country, Utah's transportation needs also continue to increase rapidly. Legacy Parkway will help address these needs by reducing congestion on I-15 by an estimated 30% during rush hour.

Purpose and Need

The Legacy Parkway Project was designed as a 14-mile stretch of four-lane highway to provide an alternate roadway for northern metro commuters between Salt Lake City and Kaysville. The project will alleviate congestion in one of Utah's most heavily traveled freeway corridors.

Legacy Parkway is the first of its kind in the United States and includes many unique elements:


Gateways to introduce motorists to the Parkway and surrounding communities

- Meandering roadway instead of a traditional fixed, straight freeway design

- Unique landscaping

- Unusual structural design features including bridge monuments and barriers

- Independent multi-use and equestrian trails alongside the Parkway,
...Blurs the boundary between the Parkway and community

- Provides a pastoral driving experience


Parting Shot

Utah birds.org

Last edited by delts145; Sep 9, 2008 at 12:57 PM.
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  #98  
Old Posted Sep 9, 2008, 1:05 PM
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National Trend - Making More Space for Bicycles

U. student Alice Owens, left, squeezes onto a TRAX car on 900 East with her bike as she heads to class Monday. "They should make a TRAX car for just bikes - an empty one with no chairs," Owens said. "What's the point of [TRAX]? Isn't it . . . so people don't drive?" (Steve Griffin/The Salt Lake Tribune )


UTA has lots of lockers; plenty more on the way - UTA will yank a bench seat at end of each light-rail car


Kyle Lukacs, a student at the University of Utah, squeezes onto the TRAX car at the 900 East stop with his bike as he heads to class Monday. Lukacs said he has noticed an increase in riders with bikes this year, and that he often has a hard time finding room on the train. (Steve Griffin/The Salt Lake Tribune )

By Brandon Loomis
The Salt Lake Tribune


TRAX rail cars are crammed with bicycles by the time they get downtown in Salt Lake City on weekday mornings - four and five at each end, where signs warn against exceeding two.
"It sucks," University of Utah student Marlon Ruiz said after trying but failing to squeeze his bike onto the train at 900 East and 400 South on Monday morning. He had scurried from one door to the next but found both too packed. "This isn't the first time."
Then he wheeled away on his bicycle to mount a charge up the steep hill to school, knowing he would be late for class.
In this year of punishing gasoline prices and record mass transit ridership, there's a crush of bicycles on public transportation. The Utah Transit Authority will respond by removing one bench seat at the end of each light-rail car to make room so bikes aren't impeding the doorway, spokesman Brandon Bott said. It's also adding bike lockers for rent at TRAX and FrontRunner commuter rail stations.
There's no relief for those who try to put bikes on a bus but find two already filling the front rack, because UTA has found that a triple rack obscures the headlights.
The trend spans the continent, according to American Public Transportation Association spokeswoman Virginia Miller. Among those she has surveyed are Tampa, Fla., whose buses have seen one-fifth more bikes this year, and Cleveland, where riders with bikes are up 23 percent.
UTA's FrontRunner, which opened last spring, is a hit with cyclists who don't want to drive to and from the park-and-ride lots north of Salt Lake City. UTA counted 452 average weekday bike boardings on the diesel trains in August. The agency has made room for bikes near the doors in cars it has recycled from New Jersey, and soon will take out seats on newer cars, at the end cars of each train, Bott said.
The numbers are booming on TRAX, too, though UTA can't say by how much because the electronic counters at the train doors don't distinguish a cyclist from other riders. At around 9:30 Monday morning the Ninth East TRAX station was a hub of bike activity, with bikers boarding and leaving trains, and lining up for the buses across the street.
Riders with bikes responded enthusiastically when told of the plan to remove seats. Some wanted more.
"I think they should make a TRAX car for just bikes - an empty one with no chairs," U. student Alice Owens said before hauling her bike aboard on Monday. "What's the point of having TRAX if people can't use it? Isn't it supposed to be so people don't drive their cars?"
UTA employees have yelled at her for trying to board in the middle of a car when the ends were full, she said. Removing at least one seat at the ends would help.
Some riders without bikes also thought it would help ease their ride.
The bikes are starting to create a tight squeeze for everyone on TRAX, longtime rider Elaine Camp said.
"It's difficult if you get on at the ends. Kind of trips you up," she said. It never keeps her from getting on. "I'll just climb over," she said. But it does cause problems for people pushing strollers.
Disabled riders access trains through ramps at the front, and bikes are not allowed there.
The removal of a seat necessarily means fewer places to sit at busy times such as during basketball games and concerts, but the trains already are standing-room-only during those times, Bott said.
bloomis@sltrib.com


UTA bike lockers rent for $10 a year plus a $65 key deposit. Some locations are on a waiting list, but others will offer more lockers as soon as ordered locks arrive. For information, e-mail pdierks@rideuta.com or call 801-287-2062.

Existing TRAX-FrontRunner lockers
* Sandy Civic Center: 11
* Historic Sandy: 4
* Midvale Center: 3
* Midvale Fort Union: 3
* Murray Central: 8
* Meadowbrook: 2
* Millcreek: 2
* Central Point: 2
* Ballpark: 3
* Salt Lake Central Station: 4
* Ogden: 4
* Woods Cross: 3
* Farmington: 3
* Layton: 6
* Clearfield: 4
* Roy: 4
* South Campus: 6
* Salt Lake Central Station: 2
* Historic Sandy: 2
* Midvale: 2
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* To be determined: 3
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  #99  
Old Posted Sep 18, 2008, 5:32 PM
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delts145 delts145 is online now
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Salt Lake City's FrontRunner Recyles Comet Cars From Jersey

Video Link: http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=4284643


Quote:
Originally Posted by arkhitektor View Post
Comet cars added to FrontRunner:
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=148&sid=4284643

I rode one of these to work this morning, they are actually quite comfortable and roomy.
UTA has obviously done a better job fixing these up than with the "ghetto TRAX" cars from VTA in San Jose.
They should definitely re-upholster the brown leather seats though.
New yet old FrontRunner cars made their official debut this week, and today riders let us know what they think. Earlier this week UTA added six new cars called comet cars to the FrontRunner track.

UTA purchased and refurbished the cars as a way to accommodate the growing number of riders using FrontRunner. The reaction from riders is mixed. Some really like the historic feel inside the comet cars, but others thought UTA should have done something a little more updated.


From the outside they look new and have the same blue, white, and red paint jobs. But passengers quickly learn these new FrontRunner cars have some historic charm. "It looks new, and then you get in and it's obvious that it's from the 80s or something," rider Dianna Sperry said.

Another rider, Don Eisenbarth, said, "It's pretty cool. It's got, well it's kind of almost retro 70s- 80s type. It's all brown inside."

UTA Purchased 15 comet cars from the New Jersey Transit Commuter Rail System after ridership on FrontRunner skyrocketed.


UTA spokeswoman Carrie Bohnsack-Ware said, "We were expecting roughly about 5,900 people to ride it on an average weekday. Right now we are seeing anywhere around 8,400 people riding it on an average weekday."

The original comet cars were built in the 1970s, and UTA estimates the ones they purchased are about 25 to 30 years old. The name comet car comes from their aluminum cover and their end to end power.



To buy one of them new would cost $2.2 million, but refurbished, they're only $400,000. Each car can hold up to 102 people and is equipped with wireless Internet. They also have bigger seats, which riders seem to like.

Rider Sam Hess said, "I like it better than the other one, it has more room to stretch out."



James King said, "It's really comfortable and really spacious."

And Sandy Bunn told us, "It was nice and quiet and comfortable."

And if you don't like the old 1970s retro look or smell, UTA says you can always move to one of the newer cars.

So far UTA has six of the comet cars refurbished and ready to go. Currently they are using four of them during the peak ride hours, but as ridership continues to go up, UTA says they will add more cars.

.
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  #100  
Old Posted Sep 22, 2008, 10:53 PM
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ctobsl ctobsl is offline
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New Trax Trains

Has anyone seen these new Trax Trains on line yet?
Just curious as to when they will be in use on the Trax line.

Delts, you posted the story, have you heard of anything new?

Anthony

The New Siemens-S70 arriving soon in Salt Lake City
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