Reader comments
Design work progressing on south commuter rail

17 comments   |   Read story

WC | 8:27 a.m. Aug. 21, 2007
UTA is so great! THANKS UTA!
Guaglione | 9:03 a.m. Aug. 21, 2007
What's to design? You draw two parallel lines on a map!
South Mtn Resident | 9:20 a.m. Aug. 21, 2007
That's nice, but where is the TRAX line to Draper?!?! The TRAX line I purposefully bought my condo within walking distance of!! The TRAX line I voted to fund!! Thanks, state legislature, for screwing up the funding of the Draper line. 'Preciate that.
Comments continue below
Draper Resident | 10:17 a.m. Aug. 21, 2007
If Draper elects three new council members who are opposed to TRAX in the current alignment, TRAX may never come to Draper. Tell everyone that Tanner, Tonks, and Lucky are for sure against any TRAX line. Don't let them screw it up for the majority of us.
South Mtn Resident | 11:25 a.m. Aug. 21, 2007
Draper Resident- Thanks for that info- I did not know that. Maybe those of us in Draper who want the TRAX option should contact the developers of the office buildings near Point of the Mountain to put their weight behind TRAX. I would think that would be a plus for their developments. I get the feeling the oppoisition to TRAX in Draper is the vocal minority who fights with the city on everything.
Charles H | 12:48 p.m. Aug. 21, 2007
Rail can be individually convenient and cost effective. But on whole, it is MORE costly than moving the same number of persons via private car on freeway type roads.

For the money being spent on this rail expansion to Utah county we could add TWO full lanes of freeway EACH direction. Most of northern Utah county has what, 3 lanes of general freeway, plus an HOT lane? Adding two lanes each direction would be better than a 50% increase in capacity.

Does ANYONE really think commuter rail will carry anywhere close to that many passengers or relieve congestion as much as 2 extra lanes of freeway?

Alternatively, we might look at building a commuter route down the west side of the county and thus relieve both I-15 congestion as well as the number of commuters driving surface streets east-west to get to I-15.

Check out the following links for data on relative costs:

http://www.americandreamcoalition.org/ADCFS1.pdf
http://www.publicpurpose.com/ut-lrt2001.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_rail

I welcome citations to contrary data. I don't care for personal attacks.
Chad | 1:43 p.m. Aug. 21, 2007
The two lanes of freeway in each direction will be added in any event -- it is not either/or. A west-side freeway connecting Salt Lake County and Utah County is also planned. Basically, we need more of everything -- more roads and more public transit.

As the article notes, UTA wants to get the train done before the freeway rebuild begins so that us commuters will have some other way to get to Utah County in the morning when the freeway rebuild is underway.
Jake | 2:07 p.m. Aug. 21, 2007
I for one will make much use of this commuter rail. After college I got a job and moved down here to Orem. My extended family lives in the Ogden-Brigham City area. When I go to visit them, I will definitely prefer to take the train as opposed to driving. I'm guessing that a lot of BYU/UVSC students will probably do the same...
Scott F | 2:55 p.m. Aug. 21, 2007
to Guaglione:

If only design were as easy as drawing two parallel lines.

You also have to draw the little cross-wise hatch marks.
NELSON | 2:56 p.m. Aug. 21, 2007
Attention Utah county commissioners, the county doesn't end in provo. We are paying taxes as much as the rest of the county get the rail funded all the way to santaquin.
SLC | 3:07 p.m. Aug. 21, 2007
Charles H:

Just as a point of clarification: commuter rail does not equal light rail. Even the wikipedia article you link to makes that point very clear. Furthermore, it even mentions that a well designed system can handle 16 lanes of traffic in the space of a 2 lane roadway. Now, I'm not sure their facts are correct, but there you are...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_rail#Capacity_of_light_rail_versus_roads

On the cost side you may be right, but capacity wise it appears your own facts contradict you.

Cheers,

SLC
Tom | 3:36 p.m. Aug. 21, 2007
The rail line is being built in segments. The next segment will be from Provo south.
jmdspk | 3:49 p.m. Aug. 21, 2007
Charles H. what numbers are you comparing to? Are you comparing Seattle? Salt Lake City? etc? After all you quote two sources that are backed by the Highway Users Alliance and they are a little biased.
Brian | 3:50 p.m. Aug. 21, 2007
It'll get there, Nelson. Pretty soon it will run from Nephi to Brigham City/Tremonton. It just has to become more cost effective. It doesn't matter that you pay taxes, it's about the community. You'll just have to drive to Provo until they get to Neverland. Welcome to society.
May West | 10:46 p.m. Aug. 21, 2007
I hope this does not mean more Provo residents coming to Salt Lake. There goes the neighborhood.
Interloper | 2:44 a.m. Aug. 22, 2007
Based on what I've experienced in both Atlanta and Portland, even naysayers who travel to the city center will like the rail system once it is available in suburbs.

The 'highways are better' argument has been made in every city that has rail public transit. What that side usually leaves out are the savings on gasoline, road wear and pollution. Rail may be somewhat expensive, but it has its positives, for sure.
Handi Mulia | 9:43 a.m. Aug. 23, 2007
The engineering firm should be Parsons (not Parsons Brinckerhoff).

Add your comment

Comments are monitored. Any comments found to be abusive, offensive, off-topic, misrepresentative, more than 200 words or containing URLs will not be posted.

Words Remaining

E-mail address: For internal use only. We may want to contact you to publish your comment (not your e-mail address) in the newspaper or for a separate story idea.

Advertisement
previousnext

Latest comments

Flu shot appointments fill up fast

I think that it is really good that a lot of people were able to get the H1N1...

Backtracking like this is disappointing. As Latter-day Saints we need to hold...

Gays get Mormon support in SLC

For those saying that this is not new, the point you are missing is that...

The NBA is a business and officiating must be viewed through the prism of...

FLDS man sentenced to 10 years

Is this guy going to be in protective custody like Jeffs? If not, this is a...

I certainly question the authority and presidency of the church when...

we have freedom make the right chose with it,this life is a test also,the...

Am. Fork band hopes for nationals

THEY DID IT!!! They have approval from the district and a unanimous vote for...

This issue of health care is an easy one to resolve. If you care and love...

U. hopes to keep clicking

Utah has the athletes and coach to win this game. Well they? Not sure since...

Advertisements
Advertisement