Changes to Eastside Bus Service

Image via WikipediaWhile the UTA has made some changes to the eastside bus service since the opening of the University TRAX overall there was been very little change over many years. In fact looking at some timetables from going back to the early days of UTA shows very little change in bus routes.
If you look at bus service from Downtown to the University you have multiple routes serving all the way from South Temple down to the TRAX line on 400 South. In fact the only street without bus service is 300 South. This is just overkill but it goes back to the fact that there has been very little major changes in bus service over the years and that is one of the problems with the UTA.

While little has been revealed on the proposed bus reorganization that will most likely reduce bus in the wrong spots, I will give my opinion on how eastside bus service should be reorganized looking at it from someone who rides the system and sees the needs of the riders.

Route 5: Discontinued.

Route 7: Discontinued. Southern portion replaced by new route.

Routes 5 and 7 run along 100 South eliminating all service from 100 South, however it still leaves frequent bus service on South Temple and 200 South just one block north and one block south.

Route 8: Service Increased to every 15-minutes.

Route 11: Service increased to every 15-minutes. Service extended from Fort Union Blvd and 1300 East via 1300 East and 7800 South to Midvale Central TRAX station

New Route: Would run from University Hospital, Medical Center Drive, Wasatch Drive, Foothill Drive, 3300 South, 3300 East, 2920 South (Louise Ave), 2700 East, 2900 South, 2880 South (Lakeview Drive), 2300 East, 2810 South (Atkin), 2140 East (Connor), 2700 South, 300 West, to Millcreek TRAX station (this route should eventually extended to west along 3100 South to Magna). Route should run every 30 minutes using 30-foot buses and would provide alternating 15-minute service with route 14 along Foothill Blvd.

New Route: Would run from University Hospital via Medical Center Drive, Wasatch Drive, 2100 East, Parley Canyon Blvd, 2000 East, 2700 South, Imperial, 3300 South, 1300 East, Brickyard Road/1100 East, 4500 South, 900 East, 5300 South, and Vine Street to Murray Central TRAX station. This route would run every 30-minutes with 30-foot buses. This route would provide a good north/south route providing service to the University of Utah Hospital, University of Utah, Brickyard Plaza, St. Marks Hospital and the Murray Central TRAX station including the new hospital complex being built there.

This revamp of bus service would reduce duplicate bus service, increase bus service on important streets, plus create a couple of new routes that would service portion of routes being discontinued but also provide service to areas not currently receiving service and provide bus service in directions not currently served.