Sandy to review TRAX stop proposal

The Sandy Planning Commission will have its first chance tonight to look at a proposed UTA TRAX light-rail stop at 9400 South.

The stop is no surprise to city planners, who said it has been part of the city's master transportation plan, would not include a park-and-ride lot because it is close to Jordan Commons and the South Towne Exposition Center.

Instead, the stop would be what UTA officials call a destination stop — most riders would use the station to reach Jordan Commons or the expo center. City officials hope that adding the TRAX station would reduce congestion during high-volume times for the center.

But the pedestrian traffic at the site — the station could expect to see as many as 1,000 riders per day, according to UTA — could cause problems without an additional traffic light.

Thus, Paul Goodrich, a transportation engineer, is recommending that the planners require UTA to install a pedestrian traffic light on 9400 South just west of the proposed station. The signal would trigger on demand, but it wouldn't be as disruptive to vehicle traffic because it "doesn't stop traffic for as long, typically, as an intersection signal," Goodrich said.

When UTA originally planned the north-south light rail line, it wanted to place a stop at 9400 South. Community skepticism, however, dissuaded UTA, and the organization settled on stops at 10000 South and 9000 South.

UTA estimates the price tag will be $2 million to $2.5 million, but it expects $1.8 million of federal money to help, said Jeff Harris, UTA's deputy chief for asset management and business development.

"We believe that the uses in the area are such that it will be a great destination station," Harris said. "We really think that people will intercept it up and down the line, park there and ride the TRAX line to the expo center. We really think it will help traffic in the area."

City planner Gil Avellar wants UTA to find some way to keep the trees alive at this station. Other stations require heavy salting in the winters to stave off ice, and that salt has killed the trees. Whether UTA designs planters that are not flush with the pavement, or whether it finds a variety of tree that is resistent to the salt, Avellar hopes it can find a way to beautify the 9400 South station.

"We'd like to see something there to dress up the look of the platforms," Avellar said. "Bring some greenery on the platform."

If the planning commission approves the light-rail station, UTA must then have its plan reviewed by Sandy city planners before beginning construction. UTA wants to begin construction as soon as October and hopes for a functioning station in early spring 2006.

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E-mail: kswinyard@desnews.com