Commuter rail system speeding toward Utah

SAN DIEGO, Calif. — The Santa Fe Depot is the "end of the line" for commuters headed into San Diego via the Coaster commuter train. A tall building, still under construction, is within walking distance of the station.

It will soon become high-density housing.

While this development cannot be directly attributed to the Coaster commuter train, its proximity to the station likely influenced the decisions of developers, according to Tom Kelleher, spokesman for the North County Transit District and the Coaster.

"It's a great example of development incorporating public transit," said Kelleher. But direct results of this development — known as transit-oriented development (TOD) — are still hard to see around the nation's commuter systems. It's more prevalent around light rail systems, such as TRAX.

Regardless, officials with the Utah Transit Authority hope their commuter rail system will be one of the first in the nation to be tied to a TOD. Development plans are already progressing in cities such as Layton, Clearfield and Farmington, all in Davis County.

The Farmington station is expected to be a "flagship" for TOD's in Utah and the Western United States. A Farmington developer, in combination with a national development team, plans to bring a mix of shops, housing and offices to a 100-acre site centered around the Farmington commuter station.

Steve Meyer, UTA manager of commuter rail construction, cautions cities that the train alone won't spawn development. But the train can be a catalyst for development, he said.

In San Bernardino County, small developments are scattered around Metrolink commuter rail stations, owned and managed by individual cities and counties. Rancho Cucamonga's station has a new office complex near it, in addition to high-priced condominiums. The Claremont station is near an eclectic shopping district, already in place before the train was built.

"We hope cities see the commuter train station as a benefit to residents," said Francisco Oaxaca, Metrolink spokesman, "but also as a nexus for other plans they have in that area."

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