Salt Lake City | Transit and Airport Developments

[delts145]

Update - Central & Southern Metro - ALLL Aboard


wikimedia.org

Crowds try out FrontRunner between Salt Lake City and Provo

http://m.sltrib.com

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/55...unner.html.csp

By Ben Fulton, The Salt Lake Tribune

Provo • Michael Ackley said he was among the first passengers to board UTA’s FrontRunner commuter train in 2008, when it opened a line between Salt Lake City and his Ogden home,(Northern Metro).

So, of course, the 64-year-old retired painting contractor was among the first to catch the 10 a.m. opening Saturday for the "Public Free Ride Day" between Salt Lake City and Provo.

"I like the freedom of trains. It’s just a very civilized, sensible way to travel," said Ackley, a self-described train aficionado so dedicated to the mode of transportation that he and his wife, Cheryl, book their vacation travel only on Amtrak. "I’ll fly if I have to in order to get somewhere, but I don’t like it."

His words would be music to the ears of UTA officials, who surprised a sometimes skeptical group of business officials, mayors and legislators by finishing the $850 million, 45-mile extension under budget and three years ahead of schedule.

With comfy seats, two passenger levels per car, speeds of up to 79 mph, power plugs and Internet Wi-Fi, it’s hoped the sleek new commuter train will ferry more than 6,500 riders daily between stations in Provo, Orem, American Fork, Lehi, Draper, South Jordan, Murray and Salt Lake City.

For fast-growing Utah County, which sees more than its fair share of travel north, it’s also hoped that will translate to fewer cars on the freeway and better air quality.

Standing near an open passenger door as hundreds of Provo residents filed inside for the commuter train’s first public run into Salt Lake Central, Ackley looked almost like a minister watching over the newly converted.

But while plenty of new FrontRunner passengers were also tickled at the prospect of a free ride on a new train, many braved the sometimes hourlong wait to examine the train for more pragmatic reasons.

Bill Mitchell, a 52-year-old physical therapist in Provo who commutes to Murray for work, brought his two children along to gauge whether or not he’ll ditch his car for FrontRunner tickets. Less than 10 minutes into his ride north, Mitchell said he was impressed.

He said he pays $11 or so daily for the three gallons of gas necessary to commute by car. Compared to UTA’s $2.35 base fare, plus 55 cents for each additional stop, he estimates a savings of less than 80 cents. Not much, admittedly. Still, he said switching to the train will save both his car and his nerves more than enough wear and tear to make the difference.

"I find myself getting up earlier and earlier just to avoid traffic heading north," Mitchell said. "That’s a big stress."

Others rode Saturday for reasons similar to Mitchell, or just to try FrontRunner on for size. Robert and Carol Hintze, retired grandparents from Holladay, got up early to take their 13-year-old grandson on a trial run so he might ride it to Orem and back to visit his other grandparents.

As passengers talked to others or simply stared through the windows at onto a gliding montage of track-side brush, backyard decks, white-steepled ward houses and horses out to pasture, about the only complaint was finding the train restroom, located in the car farthest from the locomotive.

"It’s very nice," said Gregory Amobi, a University of Utah business student who lives in Salt Lake City. "They need more restrooms, that’s all."

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[delts145]

Update, Central & Southern Metro

Two major road projects ready to roll

Deseret News - Connection Point of MountainView Corridor and I-15 rebuild, Southern Metro

Transportation » Mountain View Corridor and rebuild of I-15 in Utah County are completed.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/55...state.html.csp

By Lee Davidson | The Salt Lake Tribune
First Published Dec 15, 2012

officials celebrated completion Saturday of two of the state’s largest highway projects ever — the $1.73 billion rebuild of Interstate 15 in Utah County and the $730 million first phase of the Mountain View Corridor in western Salt Lake County.

John Njord, executive director of the Utah Department of Transportation, said it was like "we have delivered the World Series and … the Super Bowl all in one day."

Gov. Gary Herbert added, "It looks like Christmas to me" as the long-sought projects were celebrated amid falling snow and many happy people.

Njord even had a gift for the governor. UDOT had previously announced the I-15 project would come in about $230 million under budget, but it is actually $260 million under — so $30 million more can go to other projects.

The I-15 project rebuilt 24 miles between Lehi and Spanish Fork — with state money only, and no federal aid. It replaced original asphalt with concrete designed to last 40 years; added two lanes in each direction; extended express lanes for its entire length; and rebuilt or replaced 63 bridges and 10 interchanges. Lanes were opened last month, but some finishing work continued until the past week.

Njord said it was the "fastest billion-dollar highway project ever built in America," finished in 35 months. That occurred as it managed to keep most of the original number of lanes open most of the time...

MountainView Corridor, Central Metro - ...Mountain View now offers a 15-mile stretch of two lanes of traffic — plus pedestrian and bike trails — in each direction at about 5700 West between 16000 South and 5400 South. Lanes are widely separated now — and the lanes of a future freeway will be built eventually in the median...

www.udot.utah.gov/mountainview

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[Nexis4Jersey]

• Video Link

[delts145]

Thanks for the video post Nexis4Jersey.

[delts145]

Originally Posted by stayinginformed

The Airport TRAX Station changing colored LEDs are on. Looks pretty cool. Check out the video. I assume they will have the same lights on all the stations. This is at the Jackson/Euclid Station.

• Video Link

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[delts145]

Update, Northern Metro - Station Park - TOD Project

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

Now mix in some residential and I'll love it.

Originally Posted by millhouse

Its coming... its apart of the master plan. Along with alot of office space. There are about
400 apartments coming online soon right across the street. The apartment developer is looking at developing large
scale townhome communities to the north of the apartments also.

The Standard Examinar

Summer Shots

Originally Posted by arkhitektor

Speaking of which, here is some new building going up just west of
the theater:


These bus-stop looking shelters make me wonder if they'll eventually
have some kind of shuttle from the pedestrian mall area to the
FrontRunner station:


Gas lamps:


The restaurants have outdoor seating, I really liked the biparting
doors which, when opened as they are here, open the inside of
the restaurant to the outside:


Couches for outdoor seating:


I rode the train, so I can report a little on the proximity of the station
itself to the theater area. The distance felt about the same as
walking down two Salt Lake City blocks. It was inconvenient only
because the area in-between is the part that is currently still
under construction. Once it's all filled in, getting off the train, walking
down the plaza and back won't be any worse than walking from one end
of Gateway to the other and back.

Pics By Arkhitektor


Latest Pics, January 2013

Originally Posted by gusam26

Pics By Gusam26

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[UtahProjects]

2013: Year of the Bike for Salt Lake City


(Chris Detrick | Tribune file photo) An avid bicyclist, Mayor Ralph Becker rides his bike along 200 South between Main and State Street

That $1 million program is slated to debut in March and will include 100 bicycles and at least 10 stations. It works through memberships that range from $5 a day to $75 a year. Participants can take a bike for 30 minutes at a time and drop it off at any station.

The city has also launched a new "bike-dedicated" website, www.bikeslc.com, which offers information on bike trails and safety.

The mayor’s office is playing that close to the vest, although it announced this week an "Open Streets" program that will close a downtown road to automobile traffic on the first Saturday in May to encourage bicycling and a festive atmosphere...

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/55...-salt.html.csp

[delts145]

Central Metro - South

Porter Rockwell Blvd. to provide east-west transportation corridor

Scrapers Cutting the Roadway for Porter Rockwell Blvd

http://www.udot.utah.gov

By Denise Sabin - 4 days ago...http://www.southvalleyjournal.com/pa...tion-corridor/

A major new road planned for Bluffdale will help to ease congestion and provide a thoroughfare to south valley residents. Porter Rockwell Blvd. will run southwest from 14600 South at 550 West, crossing Redwood Road at approximately 16000 South and intersecting with the Mountain View Corridor.

First conceived nearly 15 years ago, this road will fill the need for a major east-west connector for the south end of the valley.

“Porter Rockwell is important for regional transportation,” Mark Reid, Bluffdale city manager said. “Bluffdale has a lot of challenges going east and west.”

Some of these obstacles include railroad tracks, the Jordan River and irrigation canals. These transportation challenges within Bluffdale affect surrounding cities as well, since their residents must traverse through Bluffdale to get to I-15.

“Herriman doesn’t have a lot of routes for transportation going north,” Reid said. “Porter Rockwell is a great route to go around Bluffdale, instead of right through it.”

In addition to keeping their city from becoming a thoroughfare, Bluffdale city leaders also see the construction of this road as an opportunity for development.

Based on transportation studies, this will become a very busy corridor, Reid said. City leaders are planning on using this to their advantage by bringing in businesses along the corridor. The south section of the road ends near the Utah Data Center and is expected to be an especially promising area for commercial and business development, he said.

City officials are currently working on an economic development strategic plan that will more clearly outline options for growth in this area. Some priorities include bringing in tax revenues, as well as providing employment opportunities for residents.

Two segments of Porter Rockwell have already been partially constructed, one at each end of the corridor. The southwest section runs from Mountain View Corridor to Redwood Road, and the northeast section runs south from 14600 South, past Summit Academy high school, to approximately 15000 South. The next segment, which should be completed this spring, will continue south from the high school and border the new Independence master-planned community.

This road segment is needed to provide access to Independence, but is also being made possible by the development. DAI, the Independence developer, is providing the land for the corridor, and the impact fees from the building permits will help to fund construction of the road, City Engineer Michael Fazio said.

City officials are looking toward other developments on the south end of the corridor to help facilitate further road construction and to mitigate the estimated $110 million cost for the entire project. In addition to contributions by developers, other sources of funding will include federal, state and local funds.

So far, a $3.9 million federal grant has been awarded to the project. Additionally, $900,000 has been set aside by the Salt Lake County Council of Governments from its corridor preservation fund. These funds are collected on the county level and administered through city leaders working together. Fazio has applied for further funding through this avenue.

The two-and a half mile boulevard will eventually include five lanes; two in each direction and a turn lane, Fazio said. It will include bike lanes and a six-foot sidewalk, as well as the 10-foot wide Bonneville Shoreline Trail on the west side of the road. The project is scheduled for completion in eight years.
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[delts145]

Central Metro - South

Is a train right for the terrain in South Valley?



Exterior view of the new J. L. Sorenson Recreation Center in Herriman

By Sherrie Ricks - 4 days ago

http://www.southvalleyjournal.com/pa...South-Valley?/

Herriman City officials voted unanimously Jan. 10 to participate in an environmental impact study that would explore the possibility of a public transportation system to run through the city.

Local officials hope to get TRAX extended from the Daybreak station in South Jordan to the FrontRunner station in Draper. However, the study may show that only bus rapid transit system or a trolley system would be appropriate for the area.

“We have seen the success of TRAX, and would like to see that available to the residents of Herriman,” Mayor Josh Mills said.

If TRAX was identified as the most viable option, the train would most likely run along either 12600 South or 13400 South, entering Herriman at about 5000 West.

This public transportation extension has been a part of the Regional Transit Plan for 10 years put together by the metro planning organization, Wasatch Front Regional Council,

The original plan was for the train to run along 13400 South. However, a feasibility study done during the summer of 2011 showed more benefit to the community if it ran on 12600 South. The environmental impact study will make the final determination.

The environmental impact study is the next step necessary to make a new public transportation system a reality. The study will look at the impact of all the options on nature: endangered species, water and air quality. It will also study its effects on social and human needs such as on local businesses, neighborhoods, growth patterns, historical and cultural needs. There will be a few public hearings during the estimated two-year course of the study.

“The environmental impact study is the final say. It determines if, where, and what the best transportation solution would be for the communities involved,” Assistant City Manager Gordon Haight said.

The study will follow guidelines set by the federal government so that the project will be eligible for future federal funds.

South Jordan, Riverton and Draper are also involved with the study as the proposed transportation extension would run through these cities.

The proposed new line would start at Daybreak and run to the Herriman Town Center on either 12600 South or 13400 South, crossing the Mountain View Corridor and Bangerter Highway. It would then provide access to Riverton Hospital, Riverton High School and Riverton Town Hall.

Then it would connect to the FrontRunner station in Draper at 12800 South Front Runner Blvd. (550 West).

The cost of the study is just over $2 million. Herriman will be responsible for $250,000, half of which will be paid this year, and the balance will be paid next year.

Although the money is already part of the approved budget, these funds are not paid by taxes to the residents. A number of private developers have provided much of the funding for the EIS study.

Riverton City is responsible for $750,000, South Jordan $10,000 and Draper $10,000. Salt Lake County will pay $15,000. (Amounts are determined by the portion of the proposed line that falls within each city’s boundaries.) Utah Transit Authority will pay $1,000,000.

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[IMBY]

With that link to the Airport opening, I've got one more city to add to my car-less, light-rail vacation places to spend some time. Will be up there sometime this year for some rides!

Coming from Las Vegas where no one knows how to spell Light Rail!

[delts145]

I'll try and update this for you IMBY several times over the next few days. I am amazed at how much planning and construction is underway right now that is centered around TRAX Light Rail and FrontRunner Commuter Rail. Many major projects are either under construction, about to launch or are in the planning stages. Cities that I would never have imagined as transit aggressive, are getting into the action with urban village centers and clamoring for their own transit stations.

[delts145]

Central Metro - Murray TRAX Station

Originally Posted by John Martin

Pics By John Martin

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[delts145]

North, Central, & Southern Metro

Originally Posted by UTAZLoVer

I guess Frontrunner is getting busier. I
know I've noticed a lot more people even on my morning commutes
from Ogden since Frontrunner South opened. Looks like they added an
extra car this morning to handle the overflow. One of those old
refurbished New Jersey Transit Comet cars.

Pic By UTAZLoVer

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[electricron]

That's why they purchased those old NJT "Comet" cars. UTA bought enough Comet cars to put more than one on every train if needed. The projections predicted that ridership would climb when the entire route from Provo to Odgen was completed. There will be passengers riding the trains all the way, which couldn't happen before with the termination station in downtown Salt Lake.
Here's the Frontrunner equipment roster:
MP-36 Locomotives = 11
Bombardier BiLevels = 20 (12 cabs + 8 coaches)
ex-NJT Comets = 25 (no cabs)
source: http://www.rideuta.com/mc/?page=Fron...RunnerVehicles

p.s. I'm not sure how much of their equipment is off premises on lease to other agencies.

[delts145]

Central Metro South - Vista Station

http://www.cpexecutive.com

Draper - Master area plan approved for area around Draper FrontRunner station

http://cbcpromo.com

"The plan calls for over 1.8 million square feet of office space and 216,000 square feet of retail space. Approximately 20 percent of the project will be devoted to residential use, and more than 1,900 residential units are expected to be built. According to Haws, there will also be at least 21.8 acres of open space."

By Holly Corbett - The Draper Journal

http://www.draperjournal.com/pages/f...unner-station/

The future of the area around eBay is laid out in the Vista Station Master Area Plan. Map courtesy of Draper City

http://www.draperjournal.com

Developers received a nod of approval from the Draper City Council on Jan. 8 for their plans for 145 acres of land within Vista Station. The development is located adjacent to the Draper FrontRunner station at approximately 13000 South FrontRunner Way and encompasses the area around eBay and Edwards Lifesciences.

“I think it’s very impressive,” said Councilmember Jeff Stenquist before the city council approved the plan submitted by Draper Holdings, LLC. Stenquist added that the developer has done a great job in fulfilling the city council’s vision for that area.

“We feel strongly that the environments, the space, the overall ambiance of the project will be of high quality,” said Greg Haws of Draper Holdings.

The plan calls for over 1.8 million square feet of office space and 216,000 square feet of retail space. Approximately 20 percent of the project will be devoted to residential use, and more than 1,900 residential units are expected to be built. According to Haws, there will also be at least 21.8 acres of open space.

The plan utilizes high quality building materials, such as natural stone, steel, glass, brick and concrete. It also outlines such things as rooflines, landscaping, orientation to the street, signage, active pedestrian space and drainage and utilities.

“We’re proud of the walkability of this,” said Haws, adding that developers tried to put commercial buildings within a quarter mile of the rail station.

“It’s been well thought out,” said resident Shawn Benjamin, adding that the plan gives room for future growth. However, he voiced concerns about the height of some of the buildings, which are expected to reach up to 15 stories, and about the use of stand-alone parking structures in the development.

Benjamin suggested that parking that is combined with retail space, such as that found at Trolley Square, might make for a better pedestrian experience.

The development is expected to cost $843 million. Over a 20-year period beginning in 2014, it is expected to generate $46 million in revenues for the city while increasing its expenditures by almost $38 million, leaving the city with net revenues of approximately $8.4 million over that time

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[delts145]

Central Metro South - Vista Station Continued...



Vista Station, is a mixed use transit oriented development located in the city of Draper, Salt Lake County, Utah.
Located on 145 acres between 12300 South and Bangerter Highway, the development is situated between
FrontRunner Commuter line on the east, and on the west 500 acres of protected open space traversing the Jordan
River Parkway Trail, offering unparralled connectivity to all four Wasatch Front Counties.

E-Bay Center @ Vista Station

http://cbcpromo.com/vista-station/?presets=preset2













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[delts145]

Central Metro - Bangerter Station

45 acre Master Planned Transit Oriented Development project located at the UTA TRAX stop in West Jordan, UT.
•1,396 Residential Units
•118,000 SF Commercial Uses
-Including: Restaurants, Cafes, Retail, Day Care, Professional and Medical Offices



http://bvdincorp.com

http://bvdincorp.com/bangerter-station/


Bangerter Station is located adjacent to a UTA TRAX light rail station in West Jordan, UT at approximately 9000 South and 3200 West. Situated in close proximity to both Jordan Valley Medical Center and Salt Lake City Community College’s (SLCC) Jordan Campus, this mixed use project has been fully entitled for residential, retail, restaurant, and commercial uses.

Bangerter Station is poised to be a vibrant transit oriented village with varying residential projects and products catering to people of all walks of life. Enjoy your morning coffee or paper at the nearby cafe before commuting to work or school on TRAX and return just in time for a relaxing glass of wine or social event at one of the plazas or public promenades.

Construction pitured below commenced in fall of 2010 on the initial parking structures, critical transit infrastructure and trunk infrastructure which was completed in November 2011. The two constructed parking structures provide covered parking for the light rail passengers, as well as a portion of the project’s shared parking. TRAX opened in August 2012 and the first phase of approximately 250 residential units will commence construction in early 2013.


pics @...http://bvdincorp.com








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[delts145]

Downtown - Opening Soon, Airport Light Rail Line

Originally Posted by stayinginformed

What a difference a few months make. It looks like the google maps car had a few months between going on 600 West and North Temple.

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[delts145]

Updates - On the Rail Lines

Downtown Light Rail @ 644 West North Temple, City Station Apartments:

http://propimages.apartments.com




Pics By Viperlord

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[delts145]

Central Metro @ Vista Station

Living Planet Aquarium - Under Construction

http://www.ereleases.com/


The new 136,000-square-foot Draper facility (nearly three times the size of the current Sandy aquarium) will showcase 62 exhibits including a 300,000 gallon shark tank with a 40-foot walk through tunnel. Officials expect completion of the new aquarium in December of 2013, at which time the livestock from the current aquarium in Sandy will be transported to their new home in Draper. The aquarium will then be renamed The Loveland Living Planet Aquarium.

The $20 million new facility is possible because of rapid growth in attendance at the current Sandy aquarium in addition to private donations, grants, and a $13 million Draper City bond.

The Living Planet Aquarium at Sandy will remain open during the construction of the new facility.

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