West Valley TRAX Update

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Construction progress continues on the West Valley TRAX Line. To keep business and traffic impacts to a minimum, this five-mile project has been separated into seven construction “reaches,” or segments, for management and planning purposes. The map below shows each construction reach in a different color, starting with Reach 1 in light green on the south end of the project and ending with Reach 7 in dark green on the north end.

Currently, construction is taking place in all reaches.

A description of what is happening in each area is listed below. If you need further construction information, please call our toll-free 24-hour hotline at (888) 800-8854.

Reach 1

Reach Description: Reach 1 is the area along Constitution Boulevard (2700 South) from West Valley City Hall at 3600 South extending north to 3100 South. This area includes both large and small businesses, as well as many residents. Access to all businesses and residences will be maintained throughout construction. Current Construction: TRAX construction is taking place in conjunction with UTA’s bus rapid transit project on Market Street. Crews are currently working on the station platform in between West Valley City Hall and the Public Safety Building. Watch for project signs in the work areas that display West Valley TRAX Line fact sheets for more information. Traffic Impacts: Market Street is closed for North/South traffic between 3650 South and Lehmann Avenue.

Reach 2

Reach Description: Reach 2 is the area along 3100 South from Constitution Boulevard to Decker Lake Drive. The E Center and a few other businesses are located in this reach, as well as residents on either side of 3100 South. Access will be maintained and we will work with the E Center to coordinate our efforts so you can continue to visit the great events they have to offer. When TRAX is completed along 3100 South, it will operate on the south side of the roadway. Current Construction: Progress has been made on the TRAX bridge over I-215 on the south side of 3100 South. Crews have now moved the crane from the west side to the east side of I-215. The foundation work for this structure includes driving steel pile into the ground using a machine that may generate significant noise and vibration. To help alleviate impacts, pile driving activities will be limited to the hours of 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. Construction will also include minor lane restrictions periodically on I-215 throughout the next couple of months. Work on the south side of 3100 South near the E Center continues. The intersection at Mapleway and 3100 South has been closed to traffic for the next two to three weeks from 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Motorist are encouraged to use 3360 South during the daytime hours. Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times. Upcoming Construction: Construction at the intersection at Mapleway and 3100 South will be taking place for the next two to three weeks. Pedestrian access will be maintained. Traffic Impacts: There will be some lane restrictions on I-215 as crews progress with bridge construction. The closure at Mapleway and 3100 South will take place for about two to three weeks.

Reach 3

Reach Description: Reach 3 is the area along Decker Lake Drive from 3100 South to Research Way (2770 South) and running east to Redwood Road. This area includes many commercial office buildings with thousands of employees who access this area on a daily basis. We will continually work with these businesses to ensure access is provided at all times. Current Construction: Night time construction is taking place on Decker Lake Drive as crews continue to relocate utilities. Daytime activity continues as crews work on the storm drain on the east side of Decker Lake Drive. Access is being maintained and we thank the businesses and motorists for their support during construction. Upcoming Construction: Construction is anticipated to take place along Decker Lake Drive throughout the next several months. Traffic Impacts: Access to businesses is being maintained throughout this reach. Please be mindful of workers in this area and obey posted speed limits.

Reach 4

Reach Description: Reach 4 runs through the Chesterfield residential area along 2770 South and proceeds along the Decker Lake Canal and the Crosstowne Trail. We will work with residents in this area to ensure a safe working environment that provides access to their properties throughout construction. Current Construction: The majority of construction on the West Valley Line has taken place in this reach. Crews are now installing a permanent wall along both sides of the Crosstowne Trail. Significant drainage and irrigation work has been accomplished as well as foundation work for TRAX’s overhead wiring system. A permanent fence has been installed just east of the Brighton Canal to the Khadeeja Islamic Center on Parkway Avenue. Upcoming Construction: Sound wall installation in the Chesterfield neighborhood is anticipated to take place over the next couple of months. Traffic Impacts: The Crosstowne Trail along 2770 South just east of Redwood Road to the Brighton Canal is currently closed. Once TRAX construction is completed, the trail will open again.

Reach 5

Reach Description: Reach 5 includes construction along 1070 West in the Chesterfield industrial area. This reach includes one bridge structure over the Jordan River and another over 900 West. Current Construction: The majority of construction is taking place on 1070 West just north of Parkway Avenue, where third party utility work is underway. There will be some lane restrictions implemented. A joint trench for utilities and sewer line is being built along 1070 West, along with pile driving for a retaining wall. Traffic Impacts: As construction proceeds, there will be some lane restrictions. However, we will maintain access at all times.

Reach 6

Reach Description: Reach 6 runs through the Union Pacific Railroad’s Roper Yard area. Although there are no businesses and residents in this reach, extensive coordination will take place with the Union Pacific Railroad to ensure that freight deliveries and other train travel will be maintained. Reach 6 will include an extensive bridging system that will enable TRAX to operate above ground, over other train traffic. Current Construction: Progress has been made on the overhead structure in Roper Yard. Crews have installed steel piles 120’ into the ground to form the main foundations for the aerial bridge that will carry TRAX over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. Crews are currently pouring concrete to form the columns for the bridge. Utility work is also taking place. Upcoming Construction: Coordination will continue with the Union Pacific Railroad to install utilities and bridge structures. Traffic Impacts: Not applicable. This is a Union Pacific Railroad work area.

Reach 7

Reach Description: Reach 7 is the area where the West Valley Line will connect with the current North/South TRAX Line. Construction will take place along Andy Avenue in South Salt Lake. Crews will closely coordinate activities with businesses to ensure access is maintained. A construction survey has been conducted with the businesses along 400 West between Andy Avenue and 2100 South to determine the best time to construct in the Andy Avenue/600 West intersection. We will get back to businesses in this area to deliver the survey results and ensure adequate access. Current Construction: Storm drain installation along Andy Avenue has been completed. We thank the businesses for their support. Upcoming Construction: The next phase of construction will begin near Andy Avenue next spring. We will continue to work with businesses to maintain access and mitigate any issues that may arise. Traffic Impacts: Access will be maintained at all times during construction. General Information Access during Construction UTA is committed to maintaining 24-hour access to all of the businesses and residences along the construction corridor. We will coordinate with businesses in cases where temporary access closure might be required. Construction Hours Construction is permitted to take place between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Additionally, specific activities may require different working hours depending upon the conditions and will be coordinated with city officials. Construction Tours If you are interested in learning more about the construction project, please call our toll-free 24-hour hotline at (888) 800-8854. For More Information Timely and helpful information is available to assist business and residential communities, as well as commuters and stakeholders. If you have further questions not answered by this report or any comments regarding the project, please contact our toll-free 24-hour hotline at (888) 800-8854 or e-mail thope@rideuta.com. You can also visit UTA’s Web site at www.rideuta.com. Please note that construction information provided is subject to change.

This Week in Amtrak

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This Week at Amtrak; February 6, 2009



A weekly digest of events, opinions, and forecasts from


United Rail Passenger Alliance, Inc.

America’s foremost passenger rail policy institute


1526 University Boulevard, West, PMB 203 • Jacksonville, Florida 32217-2006 USA

Telephone 904-636-7739, Electronic Mail info@unitedrail.org • http://www.unitedrail.org


Volume 6, Number 5





Founded over three decades ago in 1976, URPA is a nationally known policy institute that focuses on solutions and plans for passenger rail systems in North America. Headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, URPA has professional associates in Minnesota, California, Arizona, New Mexico, the District of Columbia, Texas, and New York. For more detailed information, along with a variety of position papers and other documents, visit the URPA web site at http://www.unitedrail.org.



URPA is not a membership organization, and does not accept funding from any outside sources.





1) Amtrak has a new hero, and his name is Daryl Pesce. Mr. Pesce is the General Superintendent in Chicago, for Amtrak’s Central Division. This guy should get a medal.

Mr. Pesce’s domain is one of Amtrak’s most difficult; Chicago is the main passenger rail hub of the Midwest, and trains converge into and out of Chicago from and to every direction to every part of the country. Eastern long hauls come in from New York and New England, as well as Philadelphia and Washington. Three of Amtrak’s premier transcontinental trains have terminals in Chicago, and it is directly served from New Orleans by the City of New Orleans. Chicago also has its share of corridor and short haul trains which include Michigan’s Pere Marquette, the Detroit service, as well as the Illinois services and others, such as the Hiawathas.

Together, this makes for interesting passenger railroading, because in addition to all of this, Amtrak has to work around Chicago’s vast commuter network.

As Amtrak’s General Superintendent in Chicago, Mr. Pesce is Lord of the Manor. However, along with the glory comes the responsibility over an Amtrak division that every year seems genuinely surprised when winter arrives immediately after the fall. For years, Chicago has been one of Amtrak’s biggest headaches when it comes to equipment maintenance and just about every other facet of operations. It’s almost been as if Amtrak’s employees in Chicago have been doing the equivalent of the inmates running the asylum. Employee comfort and convenience has in almost every instance beat out passenger service or a desire to operate a passenger railroad in an efficient manner.

For years, reports have dribbled into URPA and TWA about the naughtiness of Chicago maintenance employees, especially in winter. This has been on top of numerous firings for things like full-time Amtrak union employees also collecting a paycheck from a second employer while they were supposed to be working for Amtrak.

In short, accountability has been so far out of the window in Chicago, that accountability hasn’t been recognized by anyone recently as a current concept.

Daryl Pesce seems determined to change that. He’s asking questions, and, when the right answers don’t come, is demanding more. He’s not content with "business as usual," and wants things to improve. Not only is he demanding more of his top managers, but he’s rightly demanding more of the frontline employees, too. When a conductor or engineer on a far-flung train hours away from Chicago (but still in the division) makes a passenger-unfriendly decision, Mr. Pesce demands to know why that conductor or engineer was allowed to do that, and what’s being done to fix it in the future.

This is so refreshing, it’s hard to describe the euphoria it generates among those who believe adult supervision should always be prevalent in every part of passenger railroading.

Mr. Pesce is having to answer to the State of Michigan for December’s problems with the Pere Marquette, and Michigan’s Department of Transportation is being rowdy about the whole situation, and demanding performance for the money its spending. Other cities and towns along the way are jumping on Michigan’s bandwagon, and demanding accountability from Mr. Pesce’s division. This is all good; Mr. Pesce seems to be just the man to correct those situations and put new orders in place so problems won’t happen a second time.

In the past, there have been so many good managers, such as current Amtrak Vice President Richard Phelps, that have had to work in less than ideal circumstances because of an ingrained Amtrak culture of non-accountability. Here’s hoping Mr. Pesce, along with the higher-ups like Mr. Phelps, will continue to whack away at that unacceptable culture and create an Amtrak everyone can be proud to work for and to ride as a passenger.



2) Here’s what we have learned about Amtrak’s massive failure to have a serviceable locomotive fleet in the national system.

Several incorrect things have happened, along with some experimentation by an outside consultant who allegedly claims Amtrak can save big bucks by not performing routine maintenance on locomotives, but, instead, just replace crucial locomotive components at timed intervals.

One of the reasons so many trains were recently cancelled in and out of Chicago due to a lack of locomotives also falls on Washington, because eight locomotives were pulled out of the regular service pool to haul President-Elect Obama’s now-famous special train from Philadelphia to Washington on the Saturday prior to the inauguration.

The Secret Service has – correctly – very strict rules about presidential trains which have been in place for decades. The rules make a lot of sense, especially in today’s terrorist environment.

Under normal circumstances, Mr. Obama’s train would have been pulled by electric locomotives, since it operated exclusively on the Northeast Corridor. However, the Secret Service said no to that; diesel locomotives had to be used instead. This meant the presidential train was not at the mercy of overhead catenary, but, rather was always operating under its own power. That makes perfect sense. Also, the train – short as it was – had two locomotives instead of one, in case of engine failure. Another logical move.

What many people don’t know is a presidential train is always preceded by an advance train, which essentially makes sure the rails are clear, and if anyone has placed anything on the tracks, the advance train will deal with it, not the presidential train. Again, a train with two locomotives, bringing the total to four.

Behind the presidential train was a third train, offering protection from the rear. Again, two locomotives, for a total of six.

Two other locomotives were held in reserve, in case anything went wrong with the other six locomotives, brining the total to eight.

By the time Amtrak pulled these units out of regular service, spiffed them up mechanically and both inside and out for presidential service, and later returned them to service, they were gone from the pool roster for a long number of days.

Considering Amtrak was already short of locomotives before this special event, losing eight locos put a huge hole in Amtrak’s operating plan. As a result, regular train service on several routes in and out of Chicago was cancelled on various days for lack of motive power, sometimes for several days in a row.

If you were Amtrak, what decision would you have made? It’s impossible to turn down a presidential request, especially such a high profile request. Secret Service demands are high – thank goodness – and perfection is demanded. Lacking perfection, backup plans must be in place and everything must go off without a hitch. There is no room for error; too much is at stake on every level.

Amtrak did the right thing handling the presidential train, but, in reality, there should have been more than enough locomotives to handle a relatively small request of eight locomotives out of the entire fleet of 199 which serves intercity trains outside of the NEC (but does not include West Coast trains).

Intercity has a requirement of 150 locomotives on a typical day, out of 187 active units. (Keep in mind these locomotives include all of the East Coast units; New Orleans, New England, and anywhere else outside of the NEC and West Coast that needs power, so not all 187 active units have a home base of Chicago.)

It’s not unusual for 15% or more of those units to be out of service for maintenance; that’s 28 locomotives on average. Oops! Suddenly you’re almost out of locomotives. Take another eight units out of service for presidential service, and you’re in real trouble. (You think 15% of the locomotives down for maintenance is high? Think, again. On the NEC, it’s not unusual to have 24% of the locomotives out of service. The NEC has 96 units on its active roster, with a daily requirement of 65; sometimes 23 can be out of service.)

But, the question remains, why is Amtrak always short of locomotives, when it has enough motors on the books to handle all of its needs?

Because, Amtrak has been practicing – as a corporate policy – far too much deferred maintenance to save money, and also, when something breaks, Amtrak just sends a broken locomotive to sit idle in the weeds instead of repairing it.

There are also some silly policies about rotating spare parts stock that make little sense to the rational mind, and these policies often have Amtrak selling/getting rid of spare parts instead of using them to repair out of service locomotives.



3) Let’s get down home about this. If something like this became an issue in a political campaign, any good candidate would be having a field day with Amtrak’s locomotive problems.

Here’s how it would be portrayed for maximum impact: Amtrak, a semi-government corporation, which exists on annual subsidies of taxpayer monies on both the federal and state levels of well into billions of dollars, takes monies specifically to be used for equipment maintenance which allows Amtrak to fulfill its mandate of operating passenger trains for the benefit of the traveling public, yet does not spend that money on basic necessities like locomotive maintenance.

Instead of spending the money on required maintenance on equipment which costs more than $1 million per locomotive, Amtrak just parks this expensive equipment on a weeded side track instead of keeping it in revenue service. Because that locomotive is not in revenue service, and therefore, generating fares from passengers who may wish to travel on a train, Amtrak exacerbates the problem by keeping a valuable, revenue-generating asset idle, therefore, needing more government subsidy to make up for the lost income not generated by a working locomotive.

A good political candidate would be demanding reform, demanding relevant law enforcement agencies be looking into misuse of public funds, and demanding to know why all members of management directly associated with these decisions are still employed by Amtrak.

Legal minds will tell you – in theory – this is the kind of thing management is supposed to be accountable for to a normal board of directors, who are then accountable to stockholders on every level.

However, since this is Amtrak, the board rarely bestirs itself to take an active role in this level of management. In terms of outside remedies beyond the board, there may be the possibility of a citizen "qui tam" suit. This is a suit in which any citizen/plaintiff has standing to sue because the federal government is involved.

From a law enforcement standpoint, it would depend on how much gumption a federal prosecutor has and the time/inclination to start looking into such a rat’s nest of complex financial dealings and questionable bookkeeping practices which Amtrak has used for years.


Which means unless something extraordinary happens, Amtrak will probably get away with these hijinks, and continue to be unaccountable to anyone. Here’s wishing Daryl Pesce well in his pursuit of accountability in Chicago; perhaps he can persuade the powers that be that if he is going to be successful in rehabilitating Chicago into a normally-functioning division of Amtrak, he’s got to have available working locomotives to pull his trains.



4) Amtrak has a new Chairman of the Board, and, to no one’s surprise, he’s from Illinois. For some very odd reason, the Republican Chairman of the Board, Donna McLean, felt it appropriate to step aside from her duly appointed position, and install Thomas Carper, former Mayor of Macomb, Illinois as Amtrak’s new chairman. The former vice chairman, Hunter Biden, son of Vice President Joe Biden, left his position so Ms. McLean could become vice chairman.

Got that? Ms. McLean, who was chairman is now vice chairman, and Mr. Carper who was a board member is now chairman of the board, and Mr. Biden, who was vice chairman is now a board member. Nancy Naples remains on the board.

In April, Joe Boardman, the Interim President and CEO of Amtrak will become a full voting member of Amtrak board, as directed by the Amtrak authorizing legislation signed by former President Bush last October. There are still four board vacancies to be filled, as the board will be expanded from seven to nine members. The entire tenure of the Bush Administration never saw a fully-populated Amtrak board of directors.

Here’s the official press release from Amtrak, dated January 30, 2009.

[Begin quote]

AMTRAK BOARD NAMES THOMAS CARPER OF ILLINOIS AS CHAIRMAN

Former Chairman Donna McLean becomes Vice Chairman

WASHINGTON – At its regularly scheduled meeting yesterday, Amtrak’s Board of Directors unanimously agreed to name Thomas Carper of Illinois as Chairman of the Board. Carper, who has served in various Illinois state and local government positions, including Mayor of the City of Macomb, has been a director on the Amtrak board since March 2008. At the same meeting former Chairman Donna McLean was named Vice Chairman, replacing Hunter Biden, who remains as a board member.

Carper said, "Everything we have done as a board, we’ve done as a unified body, and this change in our hierarchy is no exception. That this was a unanimous and non-contentious decision is testimony to that fact. I look forward to tackling the exciting challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. Amtrak is ready to play a growing role in strengthening our transportation system and our economy."

The five-member board consists of four voting members, two Democrats, Carper and Biden, and two Republicans, McLean and Nancy Naples. Amtrak President and CEO Joseph Boardman is a non-voting member of the board.

Former Chairman McLean, who was named Vice Chairman, said, "With the change in administration, its best for the company to have Tom as Chairman. I am pleased to be able to work with Tom and the rest of the board as we face the exciting and challenging years ahead."

As part of the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008, the Board of Directors of the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak) is expected in 2009 to expand to nine members from its current allotment of seven positions, five of which are currently occupied. The President nominates and the U.S. Senate confirms Amtrak Board members.

About Amtrak

Amtrak has posted six consecutive years of growth in ridership and revenue, carrying more than 28.7 million passengers in the last fiscal year. Amtrak provides intercity passenger rail service to more than 500 destinations in 46 states on a 21,000-mile route system. For schedules, fares and information, passengers may call 800-USA-RAIL or visit Amtrak.com.

[End quote]

Here in the real world, it’s amusing the Amtrak board felt this step necessary. There is no evidence Ms. McLean would not have been able to continue functioning as Amtrak’s chairman, but, since she’s a Republican, turned over the reins to a Democrat.

This illustrates the folly of Amtrak being such a child of government; if it were strong enough to stand on its own without billions in federal subsidies every budget year, it wouldn’t matter if a Republican or Democrat was chairman of the board. All that would matter would be if the corporation was being run in a proper way.

Maybe, one day, that will be the case. In the interim, we’ve got a new chairman of the board with Illinois credentials.





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J. Bruce Richardson

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United Rail Passenger Alliance, Inc.

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Jacksonville, Florida 32217-2006 USA

Telephone 904-636-7739

brucerichardson@unitedrail.org

http://www.unitedrail.org

Taking Photos...

Ok, as regular readers know, I like to lighten things up a bit from time to time and today is one of those times.

The Colbert ReportMon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Nailed 'Em - Amtrak Photographer

Colbert Report Full Episodes
Paul McCartney Appearance

Funny Political Videos
More Funny Videos

Mid Jordan TRAX line construction update

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Mid-Jordan Light Rail TRAX Construction Update: February 2, 2009*

Please forward this information on to others that would be interested.

*This schedule is subject to change due to weather, materials issues, or unanticipated utility conflicts.

Progress Spotlight: UTA Receives $428 Million in Federal Funding

On January 9^th, 2009, UTA celebrated the 25% completion of the Mid-Jordan TRAX line and received $428 million in a full funding grant agreement from the Federal Transit Administration. Sherry Little, Acting FTA Administrator, presented the check at an event held near the future Bingham Junction Station site.

Bangerter Bridge

Activity: Crews have removed the median barrier in the area of approximately 8700 South and Bangerter Highway (just south of the Old Bingham Highway overpass). The median has been replaced with water barrels and will remain closed through mid-February.

NEW Activity: Crews will be performing work on the bridge structure at approximately 8700 South and Bangerter Highway. Traffic Impacts: The centermost lane in each direction will be closed on Bangerter Highway from January 26^th through February 6th.

Sugar Factory Area

Activity: Utility work is currently ongoing. Traffic Impacts: Shoulder work with possible lane restrictions.

Activity: Crews continue to work on the sound wall on the north side of Sugar Factory Road between 2200 West and approximately 2450 West.

Old Bingham Area

UPDATED Activity: Crews continue to work on Old Bingham Highway near the Bangerter Bridge overpass. Traffic Impacts: Shoulder work with traffic shifted to the north side of the roadway from January 26^th through February 6^th. Traffic will be restricted to one lane with flaggers on February 3^rd.

Gardner Village Area

Activity: Access to Gardner Village from the Jordan River Parkway Trail is closed until August 2009.

Activity: Construction on the Jordan River TRAX bridge. Traffic Impacts: A temporary detour began the week of October 13^th, 2008 on the Jordan River Parkway Trail near approximately 7500 South. The trail will be intermittently detoured through August 2009. Please be aware that the detour does cross a live railway track, and as such, the detour will be closed daily from 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. when freight is actively running on the track. Please plan accordingly.

Cottonwood Area

Activity: Crews are continuing access and utility work near 300 West and the intersection of Winchester Street and Cottonwood Street. Traffic Impacts: Shoulder work with lane restrictions.

UPDATED Activity: Crews will be installing pile caps at the bridge structure on Winchester Street and approximately 400 West. Traffic Impacts: There will be a full closure February 3^rd and February 4^th on Winchester Street at approximately 400 West.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the project, please let me know.

Sarah Loughlin

Community Involvement Specialist

Utah Transit Authority

801-236-4783

sloughlin@rideuta.com

Front Runner South Construction Update

Image by jotor via Flickr

Greetings,

Construction is progressing on UTA’s FrontRunner South Provo to Salt Lake Commuter Rail line.

Below is the FrontRunner South quick construction update for February 2 – 8.

To learn more about the FrontRunner South project, click here.

Area 16 — Downtown Salt Lake City to 4500 South (Murray)

Construction Activity: There will be no construction occurring in the area this week. Traffic Impacts: There are currently no traffic impacts in this area. Salt Lake Central Station: Station complete.

Area 15 — 4500 South (Murray) to 7800 South (Midvale)

Construction Activity: Fiber optic relocations continue in the area with boring taking place at 7200 South this week. Traffic Impacts: None. Murray-5300 South Station: No station construction activities to report.

Area 14 — 7800 South (Midvale) to Bangerter Highway (Draper/Bluffdale)

Construction Activity: Progress continues in Area 14 behind Salt Lake Community College’s campus at 9800 South as crews construct a bridge that flies over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks. This is the area where FrontRunner will move from the east side to the west side of the tracks. Crews have driven steel pile into the ground to build the base of this structure and are continuing to construct rebar cages for drilled shafts. They will begin work on the east side of the work area this week by drilling and pouring two piers. Fiber optic work continues with boring taking place at 100th South, 106th South and 123rd South. Traffic Impacts: Impacts to motorists should be minimal as work proceeds along the railroad right-of-way. South Jordan/Sandy Station: No station construction activities to report Area 13 — Bangerter Highway (Draper/Bluffdale) to Thanksgiving Point (Lehi) Construction Activity: Crews continue to establish access in this area and prepare the site along the railroad corridor in Bluffdale and Lehi. Excavation and embankment work throughout the area will continue this week as will fiber optic microduct installation. Crews will place steel and form the walls for a bridge spanning the East Jordan Canal. Crews are also constructing a bridge adjacent to the current Union Pacific Railroad bridge at 144th South. Crews will form the back walls of the structure this week. Traffic Impacts: A temporary traffic light has been placed at 144th South and the Union Pacific Bridge to help with traffic flow. We thank motorists in this area for their patience and support during construction. Draper/Bluffdale Station: No station construction activities to report. Area 12 — Thanksgiving Point (Lehi) to Main Street (American Fork) Construction Activity: Crews will place steel this week as they continue construction of the pedestrian tunnel that will run underneath the Union Pacific trackway at the Lehi Station. Crews will be boring at roads throughout the area this week to continue fiber optic relocations along the corridor. They will also be installing microduct. Traffic Impacts: There are currently no impacts to motorists in this area. Lehi Station: No station construction activities to report. Area 11 — Main Street (American Fork) to 800 South (Orem) Construction Activity: Construction continues on a bridge spanning the American Fork River. Crews will pour the north abutments and wing walls this week. Crews will be trenching and plowing throughout the area to prepare for fiber optic relocations. Traffic Impacts: A road closure is planned for 100 West from Monday, February 11 until Wednesday, February 25 so crews can install casings on two water lines. Traffic at 100 West will be detoured onto Storrs Avenue during this time. American Fork-Main St. Station: Crews will begin to construct a lay-down area at the site of the future Park & Ride to stage materials for the project. Orem Station: No station construction activities to report. Area 10 — 800 South (Orem) to Center Street (Provo) Construction Activity: Significant progress has been made in Area 10 along the Union Pacific Railroad corridor between University Parkway in Orem and West Center Street in Provo. Crews have prepared a path for FrontRunner by grading and clearing the right-of-way and relocating water lines. Crews will continue installing fiber optic microduct throughout the area this week. Traffic Impacts: There are currently no impacts to motorists in this area. Provo Station-University Ave. Station: No station construction activities to report. Thanks again for your interest in the FrontRunner South project. If you have construction-related questions, please call our 24-hour construction hotline at 1-888-800-8854. If you have specific questions about the FrontRunner South project, my contact information is listed below. To unsubscribe from this list, please click here, or simply send a reply message indicating you wish to unsubscribe. Regards, Marc Bowman UTA Community Involvement Specialist www.rideuta.com 801.236.4784

Blog Postings

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From Streetsblog San Francisco:

Concrete Giveaway: Free and Exclusive Parking on the Public Street

Problems created in San Francisco by the requirement for off street parking on residential development that dates for the 1950's. People are actually being killed over parking spaces.

Accomodating Bike Speeds by Re-timing Signals on Valencia Street

Retiming traffic signals making bicycling safer. Of course there is always the problem with pedestrian signals and their short times that cause problems for the elderly.

The Impending Failure of San Francisco’s Pilot Bike Share Program

The San Francisco bike share program will have few bikes but will have high ongoing cost which limits the chances of success.

From the Mobilizing the Region Blog:

1% of Stimulus for Public Transit = Disappointment #1?

Transit is busting at the seams but gets little from the stimulus package.

From the California High Speed Rail Blog:

Destination Lindbergh

The San Diego airport is hemmed in by development, the bay, and downtown San Diego so expansion is out of the question. The proposal to replace the Miramar Naval Air Station with a new airport has not worked out so what is the solution? Using the proposed California High Speed Rail line to take some of the workload off the airport just like many European cities.

From the Xing Columbus Blog:

Picturing Smart Growth

Turning suburban sprawl into something more livable and substainable.

From the Transit Miami Blog:

A Transit Paradox

More on the problems that many transit systems are facing: increasing ridership and declining operating revenue. When I was in Miami a year ago, the Tri-Rail rail system ran full on all the trips I took including off-peak and reverse peak trips. Now it may be cut by more than 60% despite huge capacity increasing projects over the last few years.

The Marlins Ballpark: A Lost Opportunity

Another poorly designed stadium is closer to being built. Instead of looking to the successes like San Francisco, Baltimore and others, Miami's new ballpark continues the poor planning of the past.

From the Trains for America Blog:

Amtrak studying Pioneer route return

Amtrak doing a study about returning the Salt Lake City/Portland/Seattle Pioneer. However the question is, if this trian started, what equipement would be used? Also there is no talk of riving the Desert Wind from Salt Lake to Los Angeles via Las Vegas despite how well the train did especially from Las Vegas to Salt Lake and beyond.

From the Seattle Transit Blog:

Transit Commuter Types

Take a break from the serious links and look at the transit commuter types. What types do you see and what type are you???

From the Portland Transport Blog:

Wither Fareless Square?

Portland just like Salt Lake City has a fareless zone in its downtown area. There is talk that after the Green Line to Clackamas Town Center opens in September, the fareless zone will apply to Rail only.

From the Jacksonville Transit Blog:

THEORY - WHY LRT-STREETCAR OUT PERFORMS THE BUS OR BRT

No need to comment on this one...

From the Intermodality blog in Houston:

The way to Santa Fe

The Intermodality blog talks about the New Mexico Rail Runner commuter trian service which runs between Belen to Santa Fe via Albuquerque and uses the exact same equipment as Front Runner.

In the middle of the article the author mentions what he feels are the 8 ingrediants to successful commuter train service. The one thing lacking when it comes to Front Runner is stations you can walk or bike to but that will come in time.