Reader comments
Design work progressing on south commuter rail

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.

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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).

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