A look at the Gold Line in Los Angeles

Image via Wikipedia
The Gold Line in Los Angeles has been beat up since its opening in 2003. Ridership has been disappointing and everyone is quick to point fingers including blaming light rail despite the extreme success of the other light rail lines in Los Angeles.

In a way, the Gold Line is near and dear to my heart. The line operates along the former right of way of the Santa Fe Railroad that was home to the Santa Fe's most famous passenger trains the Super Chief and El Capitan. For the first 19 years of my life, I lived most of them within a few blocks of this line and during high school the railroad went behind the home that my parents owned.

The best way to learn how to make a system successful is to look at what is done right and what is done wrong within a transit system.

First of all, the gold line travels from Union Station in Los Angeles to Sierra Madre Villa in Pasadena (I am only going over the original line, not the recently opened East Los Angeles extension). As mention the route travels along the former right of way of the Santa Fe railroad which was abandoned in 1994 for construction of the Gold Line.

The line starts at Los Angeles Union Station. While Union Station is an architectural marvel, it sits outside the main downtown area and requires a transfer to reach anyplace in the downtown area. Once of the big downfalls of the Gold Line presently is that there is no connection between itself and the Blue Line between downtown and Long Beach. While the Red Line does provide connecting service anyone wanting to travel from the Blue Line to the Gold Line must make two transfers to make the connection.

The Regional Connector project that will link up the Gold Line with the Blue Line and the under construction Expo Line will be a boon for the Gold Line allowing single ride and single transfer connections between the different light rail lines.

In addition even transferring at Union Station takes effort. Because the Red Line subway was designed before plans were made for the Gold Line, making connections between the two requires several trips down an escalator, a walk down a tunnel under the Amtrak and Metrolink station tracks, then up a ramp to the gold line station.

The next stop on the route is the Chinatown Stop. This stop is located in the more industrial part of the Chinatown area and is a couple of block walk to the main action in Chinatown. In addition the area looks run down and does not give the average person confidence if walking after dark. Metro also lists several buses that connect at this station but several of them are located a few blocks away.

Lincoln and Cypress is another stop that shows multiple bus routes serving them but most of the bus routes run on Figueroa which is a pedestrian unfriendly walk from the Gold Line Station. The best option would be to have routes 90, 91, 94, and 794 feed directly into the gold line once the regional connector is finished. To accomplish this the presently small parking lot will need to be replaced by a parking garage with a bus turnaround located at ground level.

Next up is the Heritage Square station. This route does have parking and is served by route 83. However METRO lists the station as being served by Route 81 but it is several blocks away. After the Heritage Square station comes the Southwest Museum stop. Yes, the stop serves the Southwest Museum plus the surrounding community but has no parking.

Highland Park is another station that shows being served by multiple routes but truly only has one route directly serving the station. The station also has parking available however the neighborhood is heavly gang infested so walking to the other buses or leaving a car in the parking lot would not be the best idea.

If you ride the line after the Highland Park Station you cross the Arroyo Seco on a spectacular bridge. Below you will see the Pasadena Freeway, one of the first freeways in the nation and one of the most hair raising experiences for a driver. It is not too bad when you get on where the freeway starts on the north or from the south but if you get on at most any other on ramps you are in for an experience. First you have to come to full and complete stop then accelerate into the freeway lane. There is no acceleration lanes, when you move from your stop you are in a main traffic lane with people coming at you at high speed.

The next stop is the single stop in South Pasadena. South Pasadena is best known for fighting the extension of the Long Beach freeway (I-710) through town. However, don't think that these people are some big transit supporters looking to stop a freeway, they are the ultimate NIMBY's. They just want the freeway moved to the lower income part of town (lower income by South Pasadena's standards, not the average person).

Metro shows there is parking available at the station but it is extremely limited. There is a neighborhood shuttle to the station during peak hours plus Metro line 176. The problem is that most residents of the city would have to access the station via car due to the lack of available transit service so it limits the number of potential riders at the stop.

All the remaining stations are in the Pasadena area. First up is Fillmore which for years has mainly been an industrial area. The street immediately to the east of the Fillmore and Del Mar station is Arroyo Parkway which becomes the Pasadena Freeway. The area around the station seems to be transforming since the coming of the Gold Line but still has a ways to go.

I talked about the Del Mar station when discussing TOD and TAD a few months back. Both the Del Mar and Fillmore Station do have service from ARTS and one Metro bus route with most of the other Metro lines located at least a block or more away. The next station at Memorial Park actually had an apartment complex built on top of the station back when it was still a mainline railroad but once again would probably be classified as Transit Adjacent Development not Transit Oriented Development.

The next two stations are both located in the center of the Interstate 215. The lake street station has seen some development nearby but both it and the Allen Station suffer from the problems of being in the middle of a freeway: hard to access, limited redevelopment possibilities and large amounts of noise for waiting customers.

The current end of the line is at Sierra Madre Villa. The station has a multi level parking garage and some recent development around it. However, once again the station is hard to access because of being in the middle of the freeway.

So what is keeping the Gold Line from reaching its full potential:

First of all, the lack of the regional connector from Union Station to the Blue line at the Flower/7th has been a major factor in the Gold Line not being the success it should be (although ridership is still adequate, just not what it should be). Once the regional connector is finished, it will be a major boon to the line.

Second factor hampering the Gold Line is Metro which has done a poor job of integrating bus service with the Gold Line. Transfers from bus to light rail should be seamless and easy for the customers. Metro has altered several bus lines to serve the Sierra Madre Villa station, however that is at the east end of the system and is of little help for people traveling to the main shopping and employment areas of Pasadena unless they want to back track. The number of buses serving the station will be very helpful once the line is extended to Azusa and beyond.

One idea would be to take Pasadena ARTS transit route 10 and modify it so that it would service the Del Mar light rail station and service the major retail and employements centers in the city. The route already does a good job of this but needs to be integrated with the light rail line to make it more effective.

Another long term problem facing the Gold Line is the lack of expansion capacity. Several stations were designed for only two cars trains and how many trains can be at the station at one time. The South Pasadena and Highland Park stations would be difficult to expand due to nearby streets but could be done. While capacity may not be an issue at the present time, looking long term capacity issues will need to be dealt with.

The final problem facing the Gold Line is the lack of parking. While the stations close to downtown do not need parking, the farther out you get from the center of the town, the larger need there is for parking. Yes, in a perfect world we would love to see the line be able to do without parking, but until we start seeing a fundamental change in development patterns, parking is going to be needed.

While the Gold Line does have issues, the line has the potential to become a super star. It is up to Metro and the cities involved to make it happen.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Good and Bad Density, TOD's and TAD's (transitinutah.blogspot.com)
• Metro Gold Line extension breaks ground (abclocal.go.com)
• Gold Line Train to Montclair Gets some Funding (laist.com)
• L.A. light rail takes a big step into the San Gabriel Valley (latimesblogs.latimes.com)
• Gold Line Foothill Extension to Break Ground Saturday (laist.com)

The Newest Real Estate Bubble and Induced Demand

Image by TheTruthAbout... via Flickr
For anyone who watch the news yesterday you will know that the world has come to an end as housing sales plummeted 27% in the last reporting period. Doom and gloom seem to be everywhere you look when it comes to this issue.

However, what did people expect when the government induced demand for housing over the last 15 months? Of course the federal government has been inducing demand in housing since FDR was in office in the mid-1930's but the most recent inducing caused a housing bubble that suddenly burst when the inducing went away.

To give a little history lesson, before the times of FDR, less than 2% of the population would finance a home purchase (the irony being is people today have a higher percentage of income to housing prices than back then). At the time to qualify for a mortgage you need to put 50% percent down and pay it off in less than 7 years.

With the advent of the FDR programs we started to see the 30 year mortgages come along and the induce demand created by opening home buying to people who could not previously buy a home (I will not get into the social-economic problems that this created as it was the beginning of our decline into a debt slaved society).

Then came the FHA guaranteed mortgages for people who could not qualify for a mortgage otherwise. The latest numbers I have seen showed that 50% of the mortgages now being created were FHA or VA guaranteed loans. In other words, 50% of the people buying homes really could not afford them without the government helping them and thus inducing demand.

The tax incentives over the last 15 months induced even more demand over what would have been normal.

So what does this have to do with transit?

It was this induced demand that is one of the many reasons that development occurred as it has over the last 75 years. If the government had not induced demand, how different would our cities look today?

Salt Lake to let street lights go dark...

Image via Wikipedia
In a move to save money the city of Salt Lake when a mid block street light goes out, it will not be replaced. Folks in the Avenues, a section of Rose Park, and the downtown area will not have to worry about being in the dark as those mid street lights will be maintained.

The only news source that even mentions this is KSL:

Salt Lake City to save money by letting some street lights go dark

I love the comment by Salt Lake Transportation Director Jim Harpst "Homes and businesses should live their outside lights on". Well that is all find and dandy for the homeowners and businesses but what about pedestrians and transit riders?

This move will clearly make it less safe to walk the streets of Salt Lake City. Street lights make it more inviting to walk around after dark. This becomes even more critical when winter approaches and darkness arrives much earlier in the day.

The only good news is that because of how long a typical streetlight should last we will not see the full effects of this for a few years.

Then again maybe those Salt Lake City pedestrians and transit riders should face the same early 20th century conditions that many in the rest of county enjoy. Just remember to carry a big flashlight...

UTA testing CNG Buses

Image by Anthony Ramos via Flickr
For the next two weeks UTA will be testing two CNG buses, one from Metro in Los Angeles and the other from the Phoenix area. The Salt Lake Tribune has a suprisingly well done article about the test (and just to note, I am not putting down the writers at the Trib, but the fact that the newspaper industry has cut to the bone in its attempt to survive so they know longer have people dedicated to subject and thus well informed about what everything they write about):

UTA tests natural gas buses

As the article pointed out UTA had 5 CNG Orion V buses purchased in 1992 and retired a couple of years ago. Also pointed out in the article is the buses were essentially failures in our market but those were early generation CNG buses and a lot has a changed in the last 18 years so it will be interesting how today's CNG buses will perform.

UTA also should be congratulated in looking at alternatives for the current fleet of diesel buses considering the continued high cost of diesel (of course that situation could reverse and has in the past).

The question is will the cost be examined. They do mention that the price of a CNG bus is more than a diesel bus but could be made up over the length of ownership (approximately 12 years). However, not just UTA but we as Americans are horrible at looking at the actual cost of a product.

Now if you asked the average person on the street what the difference between the price of a product and the cost of the product they would think there is no difference and maybe that is why we are so willing to buy so much cheaply made crap at stores like Wal-Mart.

However, the when we discuss cost we are talking about how much it will cost for the lifetime of the product. I having studied it recently but a few years ago the cost to maintain CNG buses was higher than the cost of diesel buses. However, as CNG buses have become more common the cost difference may be getting closer together.

Also for anyone who complains about the seats in UTA buses (I know there has to be some out there), I hope they get to ride the lovely anti-vandal seats in the LA Metro bus (its been several years since I been to Phoenix so I am not sure about the seats in those buses). I think the seats in the ex-San Jose UTDC cars are better than the ones Metro orders. I found them to be the most uncomfortable transit seat I have ever rode on and considering how many different transit systems and buses I have rode on over the years that is saying something.

Another annoying thing about LA Metro buses that will hopefully be deativated when the bus is here is the television monitors in the bus. Several of the buses I rode on in Los Angeles most recently had monitors that would broadcast commercials and general information about the transit system. Sorry, when I get on a transit bus or train I do not want to look at a stupid television monitor. Albertson's (the original Albertson's company) installed a ton of lcd's throughout their 5600 South and 900 East store at the checkouts and in the produce department. My response was to stop shopping at the location except in extreme emergencies.

Heck, I don't even watch the television at home for the most part. I have not had cable in 6 years (so long comcrap) and its been at least two months or more since I even bothered to sit down and watch something on television. I guess if your addicted to have the stupid television on then having the monitors on the buses are no big deal but to me I rather have peace on my transit ride.

The buses will only be here for two weeks and in service only one week so get a ride on them while you have the chance.

Getting to the Great Outdoors

Image by J. Stephen Conn via Flickr
The Mobilizing the Region blog from the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut tri-state area has an interesting blog entry about America’s Great Outdoors Initiative.

Getting to “America’s Great Outdoors”

One of the major points made in the entry is that the Obama Administration is holding get meetings about the great outdoors but there is almost no talk about transportation issues when it comes to the "Great Outdoors".

One of the biggest problems our great outdoors are facing right now is transportation. While many national parks have shuttle systems and other tour options, only Utah's Zion Park has gone to the extreme of banning cars because of how many traffic jams is being created by automobiles in the park.

On the other hand the Grand Canyon proposed building a light rail system to make it easier to shuttle around the park but was stopped by conservative politicians in the Grand Canyon state.

However, while some parks such as Zions may be dealing with transportation within the park, most parks and the administration is doing nothing about getting people TO the national parks and other outdoor activities.

For example, while have to use the shuttle buses to travel through Zions in the peak season, unless you take one of the tour buses from the Las Vegas area your only option in reaching Zions by automobile. Arches on the other has the opposite problem. While there is private carriers that provide service from the Salt Lake area to Moab, the only way to access Arches without a car is by escorted tours. The problem with escorted tours is they give you little freedom and can be very costly.

Yellowstone National Park is another example of a park that is having issues with the number of automobiles using it. However, once again the non-automobile options are very limited. While they have restarted bus service around the park, the options for getting there is limited. You can use AllTrans from Salt Lake City to Jackson you have to take a tour from there. Until a few years ago Greyhound offered a daily bus from Salt Lake City to Bozeman via West Yellowstone but that route died when Greyhound went through one of its reorganizations a few years ago.

Glacier and Yosemite are probably two of the best options if you are doing a national park car free. To visit Glacier you can take Amtrak to West or East Glacier and take the shuttle options for there. Yosemite on the other hand has train and bus service to Merced where you can take Yosemite transportation to the park from there.

Lets take a look closer to home. Previously I have gone over my problems with the UTA's ski bus service. However, the service does provide a good function by getting people to ski areas and reduce the need to drive especially during the dangerous conditions that occur in winter.

The question is, what do people do the rest of the year to reach the mountains? UTA does provide two round trips a day up to the Alta/Snowbird area when the ski buses are not running, they are useless for most people trying to access recreation areas. For example when I go hiking near Brighton there is no option except to drive.

While it is great to encourage people to use the great outdoors, we also need to look at how people are going to travel and get around once they get there.

Mid Jordan TRAX Construction Update

UTA Mid-Jordan TRAX Line Weekly Construction Update: August 13, 2010



* Cottonwood Street will be closed between Winchester Street and 6500 South from Monday, August 16 through Thursday, September 2.

* Traffic on 7800 South in West Jordan will be subject to lane shifts continuing through mid-September.

* Night work near Winchester Street will continue through Saturday, September 11.

* Please use caution when approaching railroad crossings throughout the project area. Crews and equipment travel on the rails frequently.



The Mid-Jordan TRAX line is a 10.6 mile light rail line that will connect the communities of Murray, Midvale, West Jordan and South Jordan with the existing Sandy/Salt Lake TRAX line. It runs from the existing TRAX line at 6400 South to approximately 7400 South, then turns west along the Bingham Branch of the Union Pacific Railroad.

At 5600 West, the line turns south again and ends at the southern end of the Daybreak development. For construction purposes, the line has been segmented into five sections. The map below shows each section in a different color, beginning with Daybreak on the southwest end and ending with Cottonwood at the northeast end.

Daybreak Area

(This segment runs north through the Daybreak development to Old Bingham Highway at approximately 5600 West)



New vehicle testing is ongoing in Daybreak. Crews will be painting station canopy frames and finishing landscaping at the park & rides.

Old Bingham Area

(This segment runs parallel to the existing Union Pacific Railroad Bingham Branch line,

along the Old Bingham Highway from approximately 5600 West to the Bangerter Station, east of Bangerter Highway)

Crews continue installing drainage and finishing the concrete channel along Old Bingham Highway. Crews will begin removing weeds from the sound berm, and the signals at 5200 West and 4000 West are scheduled for activation this week.

Sugar Factory Area

(This segment continues northeast along the UPRR Bingham Branch from approximately Bangerter
Highway to Gardner Village)

Grading work continues at the Redwood park & ride, and curbs and gutters are scheduled for pouring this week. Crews are also scheduled to paint the canopy at the Redwood station platform. Landscaping continues at the 2700 West park & ride. Crews continue to string overhead catenary system (OCS) wire from Redwood road to Gardner Village.

Gardner Village Area

(This segment continues along the UPRR Bingham Branch northeast from Gardner Village to 700 West)

Work on the 7800 South bridge moves forward as construction crews paint the new bridge and conduct repairs on the old one. The Gardner Village park & ride is scheduled to be paved this week, and the concrete for the station platform will be poured.



ACTIVITY: Bridge repairs at 7800 South

TRAFFIC IMPACT: 7800 South will have lane shifts in place through mid-September.

Cottonwood Area

(This segment extends north from 700 West along the existing light rail alignment to its terminus at the 6400 South-

Fashion Place Station)

The new Mid-Jordan track is being installed west of the new station platform at Fashion Place station. This week, grading operations will begin for the new park & ride lot west of Fashion Place station, and OCS wire is being installed and tested.



* ACTIVITY: Reconstruction of Cottonwood Street in cooperation with Murray City.

TRAFFIC IMPACT: Cottonwood Street will be closed between Winchester Street and 6500 South from Monday, August 16 through Thursday, September 2.



ACTIVITY: Installation of OCS poles, wires, and power and signal equipment south of Winchester Street

IMPACT: Work will take place during overnight hours Saturday night, July 24 through Saturday night, September 11.

General Information

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



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 access may be temporarily limited.



Construction Hours

Construction is permitted to take place between 7 am to 7 pm Monday through Saturday. Additionally, specific activities may require different working hours depending upon 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) 550-2211.



For More Information

Information is available to assist business and residential communities as well as commuters and stakeholders.

If you have questions or comments regarding the project, please contact our toll-free 24-hour hotline at (888) 550-2211 or e-mail midjordan@rideuta.com. You can also visit the UTA Web site at www.rideuta.com/projects/midjordanlightrail.

Front Runner Construction Update

Greetings,



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

Below is the FrontRunner South construction update for August 14 - 20. Please note that construction information is subject to change.



FrontRunner South construction began in 2008 and is approximately 50 percent complete. The FrontRunner South line will be complete and operational by 2015. Please visit UTA’s FrontRunner South Webpage to learn more about the project. To view more FrontRunner South construction photos, please visit www.flickr.com/rideuta.



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



Construction Activity:

Utility work continues at 1700 South and 3900 South, and at the 3300 South bridge, crews will restore sidewalks. South of 3900 South, crews will be constructing a retaining wall, and at the Central Avenue bridge, crews will be constructing walls at both bridge abutments. Between Central Avenue and 4500 South, crews will continue to embank the track way and will also place wick drains near Big Cottonwood Creek. At the 4500 South bridge, crews will continue work on one of the abutment back walls.



Traffic Impacts:

The eastbound and westbound right lanes on 3300 South will be closed Monday through Thursday.



There will be truck traffic with flaggers on 300 West just north of 3900 South Monday through Friday.



Central Avenue is currently closed at the tracks for wall construction.



Salt Lake Central Station:

Station complete.



Area 15 — 4500 South (Murray) to Wasatch Street/8000 South (Midvale)



Construction Activity:

At the 5300 South bridge, crews will be restoring sidewalks, and between 5900 South and I-215 westbound, crews will pour a retaining wall footing. At 7800 South crews will be installing power.



Traffic Impacts:

The 4500 South Frontage Road is currently closed at the tracks for bridge work through the end of August.



On 5300 South, the westbound right lane will be closed on Monday and the eastbound right lane will be closed Monday through Thursday.



Crews will be moving a crane on 5900 South on Monday.



Murray Station:

Excavation for canopy light pole foundations continues this week; crews will also be placing junction boxes.



Area 14 — Wasatch Street/8000 South (Midvale) to 14600 South (Bluffdale)



General Information:

Considerable progress has been made on the flyover structure west of Salt Lake Community College’s Miller Campus at 9800 South. The 642-foot flyover bridge features a 40-foot-high bridge deck that will allow FrontRunner to travel from the east to the west side of Union Pacific Railroad’s track way. The flyover structure’s approaches consist of keystone block MSE walls filled entirely with lightweight fill to minimize settlement.



Construction Activity:

Between Wasatch Street and 9000 South, crews will finish backfilling trenches and grouting boxes and also abandon two manholes. North of the 9000 South bridge, crews will continue excavation for a retaining wall, and at the 9000 South bridge, crews will drill nails at the south abutment. Crews will be excavating at the 9120 bridge and for the retaining wall between 9000 South and 9120 South. Crossing upgrades continue through Wednesday at the 10000 South crossing in conjunction with South Jordan’s road widening project. Crossing upgrades include signal and track work, the installation of concrete medians and signs, road striping, and asphalt replacement.



At 10200 South, crews will continue a gas line casing extension, and at the 10600 South bridge, crews will be pouring concrete for a pier transition. At 11400 South, crews will surface, line and dress track and also de-stress track in preparation for a shifting of Union Pacific, and at the Bangerter Highway bridge, crews will continue work on back and wing walls. South of Bangerter Highway, crews will continue to embank the track way.



Traffic Impacts:

The eastbound left lane turn pocket will be closed on 9000 South on Thursday.



On 9120 South there will be a lane shift of the westbound right lane and a westbound sidewalk closure on Monday and a lane shift of the eastbound right lane and an eastbound sidewalk closure on Tuesday.



There will be truck traffic with flaggers on 9400 South Monday through Wednesday.



The 10000 South crossing will be closed for crossing upgrade work through Wednesday, August 18. Through traffic should detour north to 9400 South and no pedestrian access will be available across the crossing.



The eastbound or westbound left lane on 10600 South will be closed Thursday.



South Jordan Station:

Lightweight fill for the job is being stored at the station site. There are no construction activities to report.



Draper Future Station:

There are no construction activities to report.



Area 13 — 14600 South (Bluffdale) to Thanksgiving Point (Lehi)



Construction Activity:

Crews will be clearing and grubbing the corridor and excavating south of 14600 South as well as continuing demolition of existing Union Pacific track in the Jordan Narrows. Work at a Jordan River bridge retrofit includes repairing a bent cap and rip rap installation. Slope excavation and stabilization below the Thanksgiving Point golf course continues.



Traffic Impacts:

There are currently no impacts to motorists in this area.



Area 12 — Thanksgiving Point (Lehi) to Main Street (American Fork)



General Information:

Crews are currently constructing two major bridges in Lehi at 2300 West and 2100 North. The 2300 West bridge will allow FrontRunner to travel over Lehi City’s future 2300 West road project and the 2100 North bridge will span UDOT’s future Mountain View Corridor, 2100 North roadway. The 2100 North bridge will feature abutments on each end of the bridge and five center piers. For the purposes of this publication, the piers are numbered 1 through 5 starting at the southern end of the bridge.



Construction Activity:

At the 2300 West bridge, crews will backfill and remove sheet pile at the south abutment, and at the 2100 North bridge, crews will continue work on the bridge parapet, deck and ballast walls. Between 2100 North and 1500 North, crews will finish prepping the sub grade, and from 1500 North to 1220 North, crews will place sub ballast. Between 1220 North and 900 North, crews will clear and grub the corridor and south of 900 North, crews will continue retaining wall construction. Crossing upgrades will take place this week at the Center Street crossing. Crossing upgrades include signal and track work, the installation of concrete medians and signs, road striping, and asphalt replacement. Crews will also be construction a retaining wall along Center Street. Between Center Street and 300 East crews will be prepping the sub grade and from 300 East to 7350 West, crews will clear and grub the corridor and stabilize the grade.



Traffic Impacts:

There will be a lane closure with flaggers on Garden Drive near the pedestrian tunnel on Monday and Tuesday.



There will be truck traffic with flaggers in the following Lehi locations this week:

· 1500 North, Tuesday through Thursday

· 1220 North, Tuesday through Thursday

· 900 North, Monday through Thursday



The Center Street crossing will be closed for crossing upgrade work Monday, August 16 through Sunday, August 22. Traffic will be detoured on 300 South, 500 West and 700 South.



Lehi Station:

A portion of the Lehi Station Park and Ride Lot is now open for public use.



At the pedestrian tunnel, crews will build forms and pour concrete for the tunnel walls. At the Park and Ride Lot, crews will continue curb and gutter work and also set light conduit.



Area 11 — Main Street (American Fork) to University Parkway (Orem)



Construction Activity:

Between the American Fork River and University Parkway in Orem, crews will install signal conduit and pull boxes. In American Fork, crews will finish crossing upgrades at the 1100 South and 1500 South crossings, and in Vineyard, crews will surface, line and dress the track near the box culvert recently constructed at Anderson Geneva.



Traffic Impacts:

There will be truck traffic, equipment and lane restrictions with flaggers in the areas of the 1100 South and 1500 South crossings in American Fork all week so crews can finish crossing upgrades.



American Fork Station:

There are no construction activities to report.



Vineyard Future Station:

There are no construction activities to report.



Orem Station:

There are no construction activities to report.



Area 10 — University Parkway (Orem) to Center Street (Provo)



General Information:

Significant progress has been made in Area 10 along the Union Pacific Railroad corridor between University Parkway in Orem and Freedom Boulevard in Provo. Crews have prepared a path for FrontRunner by grading and clearing the right-of-way and relocating water lines. Drainage and irrigation installations are generally complete in this area, and main line earthwork has been finalized from University Parkway to 2000 South in Orem and from the Provo River bridge to 500 West in Provo. At-grade crossing improvements have also been completed in Provo at 2000 North, 2800 West, 1680 North, 820 North, Draper Lane, 900 West, 700 West, 500 West and Freedom Boulevard.



Construction Activity:

Just south of University Parkway in Orem, crews will excavate and pour a foundation pad for a replacement sound wall, and between 1680 North and I-15 in Provo, crews will install power. Between the Provo River bridge and 900 West, crews will remove poles, and at 900 West 500 South, crews will finish the road realignment. Between 900 West and 700 West crews will build a concrete lid for a drainage system and between Freedom Boulevard and University Avenue, crews will pave for a switch and stage ties. Crews will also be staging ties and rail between University Avenue and 900 South. Also in this area, crews will pour an asphalt turnout and place sub ballast.



Traffic Impacts:

There will be a shoulder closure on 500 West Tuesday through Friday.



Provo Station:

There are no 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.

Airport TRAX Line Construction Update

Welcome!

Construction continues on UTA’s Airport TRAX Line. To keep business and traffic impacts to a minimum, this six-mile project has been separated into seven construction “reaches,” or segments, for management and planning purposes.

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 that extends from Terminal One at the Salt Lake City International Airport on the side of the Airport Access Road to the surplus canal bridge just north of the Wingpointe Golf Course.



Current Construction:

Crews are excavating the east side of 3700 West from 510 North to Gate 13. During this time, lane restrictions will be in place; however, access will be maintained.
Crews have begun work on the 24’’ sewer installation. This work will take place within internal airport lots.
Work continues on wet and dry utilities along 3700 West. Various traffic restrictions are in place for internal airport traffic; however, access is being maintained throughout this work.
Work continues on cast in place walls and excavation of the guideway between the X Bar Bridge and 3700 West.


Traffic Impacts:

Bailey Boulevard (an internal airport road) will be closed from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. on August 13, 16 and 17.
Right lane restrictions along Bangerter Highway just north of the I-80 off-ramp entering the airport are in place Monday through Friday, and occasionally on Saturday.
A traffic plan has been distributed to the 3700 West businesses. This plan does not affect those traveling to the airport.



Reach 2

Reach Description: Reach 2 extends from the surplus canal bridge just north of the Wingpointe Golf Course along the Airport Access Road fence line to 2400 West.



Current Construction:

· Crews are working on duct bank utility runs from X Bar to 2400 West.

Crews are also working on a retaining wall south of the X Bar.



Reach 3

Reach Description: Reach 3 extends from 2400 West along North Temple to I-215. This is the reach where TRAX will move from the side of the road to the center of North Temple.



Current Construction:

Crews are working at the North Temple intersections located at 2200 West and 2400 West installing new curb, gutter and sidewalks. Various traffic restrictions are in place; however, access to businesses is being maintained.
Traffic signal cabinets are being installed at the 2200 West and 2400 West North Temple intersections.
Crews have removed a portion of the island between North Temple and Old North Temple and restoration is in progress. Lane restrictions are in place; however, access to Old North Temple is being maintained.



Reach 4

Reach Description: Reach 4 extends from I-215 to just east of Redwood Road on North Temple. TRAX will be center running and will include a station located at approximately 1950 West. Access to the many businesses and governmental organizations will be maintained.



Current Construction:

Traffic signal work, including conduits, pedestals and junction boxes, is taking place at 1950 West and Redwood Road along North Temple.
Crews are installing a new gas line along North Temple, west of Orange Street.
Work is taking place on the joint trench crossing at Orange Street. Various lane restrictions are in place; however, access is being maintained.
Roadway milling will take place on the south side of North Temple on Saturday, August 14.
Wet and dry utility work is taking place on North Temple between I-215 and Redwood Road.
Night work is taking place at Redwood Road and North Temple on joint trench crossings. This work will take place from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Noise is expected to be minimal during nighttime work as louder activities will take place during the day.
Crews are removing and replacing curb, gutter, sidewalk and driveways on the south side of North Temple between Redwood Road and I-215.


Upcoming Construction:

Crews are scheduled to begin sewer sag repairs at Orange Street and North Temple on September 13. At this time, various lane restrictions will be in place; however, access to businesses will be maintained and signage will be provided. In preparation for this work various activities are currently taking place near Orange Street. As we get closer to construction we will meet with businesses in this area.
During the week following Labor Day, weekend crews will begin demolition and reconstruction work at the Redwood Road and North Temple intersection. Significant traffic restrictions and closures will take place during this work. As we get closer to construction we will meet with the businesses.
Crews continue to relocate hydrants and water services in the upcoming weeks. We will continue to meet with businesses and coordinate any planned interruptions to services.


Traffic Impacts: There are right and left lane restrictions between the I-215 overpass and Redwood Road throughout the day. As work progresses, there will be additional lane restrictions for both east and west bound traffic, although access will be maintained.



Reach 5

Reach Description: Reach 5 extends from just east of Redwood Road on North Temple to the Jordan River. TRAX will be center running and includes a station at 1500 West. Access to the many businesses and office complexes will be maintained.



Current Construction:

Crews are preparing the Jordan River Bridge to reopen before the Utah State Fair begins September 9.
There is occasional potholing for dry utilities taking place throughout this reach ahead of construction.


Upcoming Construction:

In the coming weeks crews will begin wet and dry utility work.


Traffic Impacts:

Traffic will be limited to one lane in each direction.



Reach 6

Reach Description: Reach 6 extends from the Jordan River to I-15 along North Temple. TRAX will be center running and will include two stations located at approximately 1100 West and 800 West. Access to businesses and the State Fairpark will be maintained.



Current Construction:

Crews are removing and replacing City Creek West between the Jordan River Bridge and 1000 West.


Traffic Impacts: Traffic control near the Jordan River Bridge, which is limited to one lane in each direction, has been extended to support City Creek West work. This traffic control will switch from one side of the bridge to the other as work progresses.



Reach 7

Reach Description: Reach 7 is the area where the Airport TRAX Line will connect with the current north/south line at the Arena Station. This reach extends from I-15 to 400 West along North Temple and turns south on 400 West to South Temple. Access to offices and the Gateway will be maintained throughout the construction project.



Current Construction:

The North Temple Viaduct re-construction project began April 18, 2010 and will continue for approximately 18 months.
Wet and dry utility relocations are taking place to prepare for the City Creek East relocation.
Crews are drilling 16 shafts for the new North Temple Viaduct. Eleven of these shafts have been drilled, set, and poured and the 12th shaft is underway. This work will take place for approximately three weeks and noise is expected to be minimal.
Night work is scheduled for the following dates and times for City Creek East relocation and for pouring the abutment caps:
· Sunday, August 15, from 4 a.m. until 6 p.m.

· Monday, August 16, from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m.

· Sunday, August 22, beginning at 12 a.m. until Monday, August 23, at 3 a.m.

Please see the viaduct construction guide below for information on how to get around during this portion of 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 access may be temporarily limited.



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 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 questions or comments regarding the project, please contact our toll-free 24-hour hotline at (888) 800-8854 or e-mail tcamp@rideuta.com. You can also visit UTA’s Web site at www.rideuta.com.

Business Spotlight:

NeighborWorks Salt Lake; Building Homes, Building Lives
“Creating opportunities through housing, resident leadership, and youth and economic development,”
NeighborWorks Salt Lake (NWSL) has found success in “Rebuilding Neighborhoods… One Block at a
Time.”

NWSL works to create affordable housing through partnerships with businesses and
government, and their “outstanding revitalization efforts” were recognized in
1996 by then U.S. President Bill Clinton.
This private non-profit group was launched in 1977 as Salt Lake Neighborhood
Housing Services in the East Liberty Park area of Salt Lake City and has since
grown to include neighborhoods along the North Temple
corridor. Its main offices are now located at 622 West 500
North, under the leadership of Maria Garciaz for the past two
decades.

Today NWSL has a staff of 15 and employs about 45 youth a
year. “We’re not only doing home improvement loans, we’re
doing multi-family development … [building] major subdivisions,
resident leadership … serving thousands of residents,” Garciaz said.
NWSL also invests in creative and leadership opportunities for youth,
supporting murals and artwork featured throughout the region, including
businesses along North Temple.

“When you do house-by-house, block-by-block you get to know people.
And it’s about bringing people together, identifying their needs and really seeing who you can bring to
the table to address those needs,” Garciaz said. “And the people who come to the table to help make a
difference in the community have been tremendous over our 33 years.”

West Valley TRAX Construction Update

Welcome!

Construction progresses 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.

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 West) 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.



Current Construction:

· Crews are working on station canopies near West Valley City Hall.

· Work continues on light poles and fencing in this area.

· Crews are installing landscaping and irrigation along Constitution Boulevard.



Reach 2

Reach Description: Reach 2 is the area along 3100 South from Constitution Boulevard to Decker Lake Drive. The Maverick 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 coordinate our efforts to maintain access to the Maverick Center. When TRAX is completed along 3100 South, it will operate on the south side of the roadway.



Current Construction:

· Work continues at the station platform located at Decker Lake Drive and 3100 South.

· Crews are working on curbs and sidewalks near the Maverick Center at 3100 South and Decker Lake Drive.



Upcoming Construction:

· Crews will place the final layer of asphalt over the intersection at 3100 South and Decker Lake Drive toward the end of the month. More information will be included in next week’s update.



Reach 3

Reach Description: Reach 3 is the area along Decker Lake Drive from 3100 South to Research Way (2770 South) and east to Redwood Road. This area includes many commercial office buildings with thousands of employees. We will continue to work with businesses to ensure access is maintained.



Current Construction:

· Crews continue driveway work along the north side of Research Way between Redwood Road and Decker Lake Drive. Access to businesses will be maintained.

· Crews are working on overhead wiring along Decker Lake Drive.

· Crews continue laying tracks across Redwood Road at Research Way (2770 South). This work is scheduled to take place for the next three weeks but will be phased to allow for two lanes of traffic in each direction on Redwood Road. Access to businesses will be maintained throughout this portion of construction.



Reach 4

Reach Description: Reach 4 runs through the Chesterfield residential area along 2770 South and along the Decker Lake Canal and the Crosstowne Trail. We will work with residents to ensure a safe working environment that provides access to their properties.



Current Construction:

· Significant work has been accomplished in the Chesterfield area. Crews continue to work on the rail and other items.





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 southbound lane on 1070 West just north of 2320 South is scheduled to open to vehicular traffic on Monday, Aug. 16. The northbound lane of traffic is scheduled to open in the next few weeks.

· Work will continue along the center of 1070 West throughout the summer months.

· Work also continues on the Jordan River Bridge and tunnel.



Traffic Impacts: There are various lane restrictions on 1070 West; however, access to businesses is being maintained.



Reach 6

Reach Description: Reach 6 runs through the Union Pacific Railroad’s Roper Yard area. Although there are no businesses and residents, extensive coordination will take place to ensure that freight deliveries and other train travel is maintained. Reach 6 includes an extensive bridging system that will enable TRAX to operate over other train traffic.



Current Construction:

· Progress continues on the TRAX bridge structures over 900 West at approximately 2200 South and also at the Union Pacific Railroad Roper Yard area.

· Work is also taking place on the overhead electric system.



Reach 7

Reach Description: Reach 7 is the area where the West Valley TRAX Line will connect with the current north/south line. Construction is taking place along Andy Avenue in South Salt Lake. Crews will closely coordinate activities with businesses to ensure access is maintained.



Current Construction:

· Track work continues near Andy Avenue near 300 West in South Salt Lake City.

· Track construction is scheduled to begin on the east side of 300 West at Andy Avenue next week. Crews will distribute rails and ties and place ballast at that time.

Reach 6 – Progress continues on the TRAX bridge over the Union Pacific Railroad’s Roper Yard.



General Information



Access during Construction

UTA is committed to maintaining 24-hour access to all businesses and residences along the construction corridor. We will coordinate with businesses in cases where access may be temporarily limited.



Construction Hours

Construction on the project 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 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 questions or comments regarding the project, please contact our toll-free 24-hour hotline at (888) 800-8854 or e-mail tcamp@rideuta.com. You can also visit UTA’s Web site at www.rideuta.com.

Perils for Pedestrian Video

Image by Serge Melki via Flickr
I has been a few months since I posted one of these videos so I decided to was time.

This episode is from Paris, France. It is interesting to see the city of Paris which we think as a more pedestrian and transit friendly city still has its own problems that create problems for pedestrians.

Also some great information on the bicycle sharing program that has been going on in Paris. Like anything it has its troubles but overall the program has been working well. There is also some good comments on the usually comments you get when you attempt to take away parking.

The video also shows you how simple the bicycle sharing program is.

Perils For Pedestrians Paris

Related articles by Zemanta

• Paris: from tyranny of taxis to city of bikes (theglobeandmail.com)
• Picturing a Car-Free Seine: The New Vision for the Paris Waterfront (streetsblog.org)

Private Vans?

Image by iirraa via Flickr

The Cap'n Transit blog has an entry on how New York is proposing allowing private vans to replace service abandoned by the budget cuts the MTA in the New York area.

Setting the "livery vans" up for failure?

In the posting it talks about while the city is talking about allowing the vans, on the other hand it is making the options so restrictive that it would almost be fool hardy for any van operator to actually try to make a goal of it.

The question is, would these kind of vans be successful in other areas?

While some people complain how much service has been cut in the area, in reality few places have actually lost service. Some areas have seen cutbacks but that is mostly due to them being far flung suburban areas that do not support regular transit service.

While I support private enterprise, it would be difficult for a private van to make money operating in these areas. However, how about service to such destinations as Hoogle Zoo where UTA service is virtually non-existent? While the vans might duplicate UTA service in places, not enough to do harm to either.

However, the danger is what many anti-transit folks propose. That is having vans directly compete against the UTA on its best routes. In this case the vans would cherry pick the best routes harming both operations. Complementary service would be a benefit to all those using it but cherry picking could lead to cut throat operations that will harm not only the operators but the customers as well.

Questions would also have to be answered on how these vans would be regulated so that they provide safe operations. Often times the biggest complaint about Jitneys is poor maintenance of their vehicles and the quality of drivers.

This could be an option worth exploring so long as transit service is improved and not damaged in the long run.

It's Been Five Years!!!

Image via Wikipedia

It is hard to believe, but it was five years ago today that I started Transit In Utah.

We have seen some good times in the last five years with the opening of Front Runner, the first of what we hope will be transit oriented development, plus the ground breaking and construction of several new light rail lines.

On the other hand we have seen the problems caused by the many problems with the economy (which we don't seem to learn our lessons from), the subsequent cutting of services due to the downturn in revenues and distractions of organizations such as the bus riders unions that have been popping up despite the damage done by the most famous of bru's in Los Angeles.

Of course our local bus riders union seemed to put on a few dog and pony show's courtesy of the anti-hunger organization but otherwise has been a non-factor.

When I first started this blog I had no idea where I was going to go with it and to some extent I still have no idea where it might evolve. I have toyed with the idea of changing the name and focusing more on general issues instead of being Utah based. This may still come to pass as my work and life may take me to other pastures in the future.

However, I also believe there is so much to learn from what other systems are doing and is being proposed so I am probably going to start talking about some of the issues, problems and successes of other systems. This will especially be true of areas that I am very familiar with such as Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle, Spokane, and Charlotte.

In the last five years I have had the pleasure of reading many excellent blogs about transit. Because they are done by people with lives beyond the blog like I do, some of them have faded into the night while others are going strong. I always hate to see when of the writers I like decided to hang up the keyboard because I think we loose something when an excellent writer moves on.

I just to mention a few of the blogs that I regularly read and give them a nod for the work they do. I am not doing them in any particular order, just the way they are bookmarked on my computer which is not exactly alphabetical.

First up is the Cap'n Transit Blog out of the New York metropolitan area. Over the time I have been reading this blog there has been some great postings about coordinating services and other important issues.

Another blog I regularly follow is the Orphan Road blog out of the Puget Sound Region. Another Seattle based blog is the Seattle Transit Blog.

More great information can be had at the Streetsblog network. There is several now but I ones I most often reference is the original in New York, plus the ones in Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Out of the Miami area is the Transit Miami blog. Before I traveled down to Railvolution which was a held in Miami a few years ago I was able to catch up on many issues down in that region and check them out.

A great blog that focuses on development and transit issues in the Denver area is the Denver In-Fill Blog.

A couple of blogs I have discovered more recently is Human Transit and Transport Politic.

Finally we have the Transit Sleuth blog. Adron who runs the blog recently moved from Portland to Seattle and is changing over his services which means I have been missing it for the few weeks. He has excellent incites in transit issues from a Libertarian point of view.

Hope you take a look at this excellent blogs.

Well its been five years and I have no idea where this blog will go in the next five years but I am sure it will be a ride :-).

Airport TRAX Line Construction Update

Image by Laura B. Dahl via Flickr

Welcome!

Construction continues on UTA’s Airport TRAX Line. To keep business and traffic impacts to a minimum, this six-mile project has been separated into seven construction “reaches,” or segments, for management and planning purposes.

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 that extends from Terminal One at the Salt Lake City International Airport on the side of the Airport Access Road to the surplus canal bridge just north of the Wingpointe Golf Course.



Current Construction:

Work continues on wet and dry utilities along 3700 West. Various traffic restrictions are in place for internal airport traffic; however, access is being maintained.
Crews are excavating the east side of 3700 West from the U.S. Post Office to 510 North. Work will continue in this area toward gate 13. During this time, lane restrictions will be in place; however, access will be maintained.
Crews have begun work on the 24’’ sewer installation. This work will take place within the internal airport lots.
Work continues on cast in place walls and excavation of the guideway between the X Bar Bridge and 3700 West.


Traffic Impacts:

Right lane restrictions along Bangerter Highway just north of the I-80 off-ramp entering the airport are in place Monday through Friday, and occasionally on Saturday.

A traffic plan has been distributed to the 3700 West businesses. This plan does not affect those traveling to the airport.
Bailey Blvd (Airport Internal) will be closed 7 p.m to 5 a.m. Aug. 6, 9, and 10.

Reach 2

Reach Description: Reach 2 extends from the surplus canal bridge just north of the Wingpointe Golf Course along the Airport Access Road fence line to 2400 West.



Current Construction:

Crews are working on duct bank runs from X Bar to 2400 West.
Wet and dry utility work continues in this area.



Reach 3

Reach Description: Reach 3 extends from 2400 West along North Temple to I-215. This is the reach where TRAX will move from the side of the road to the center of North Temple.



Current Construction:

Crews are working at the 2200 West and North Temple intersection. The first phase of this work is now complete and the Park ‘n Jet driveway is now open. Although various traffic restrictions will be in place during this work, access to businesses will be maintained.
Curb, gutter, sidewalk, and wet and dry utility work continues to make its way west in this reach.
Crews are installing signal conduit at 2200 and 2400 West.
Crews have removed a portion of the island between North Temple and Old North Temple and restoration is in progress. Lane restrictions are in place; however, access to Old North Temple is being maintained.
Cast in place wall work continues.



Reach 4

Reach Description: Reach 4 extends from I-215 to just east of Redwood Road on North Temple. TRAX will be center running and will include a station located at approximately 1950 West. Access to the many businesses and governmental organizations will be maintained.



Current Construction:

Wet and dry utility work is taking place on North Temple approaching Redwood Road.
Crews are working nights on the joint trench crossings. This work will take place from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. Noise is expected to be minimal as louder activities will take place during the day.
Crews are boring for a gas line under the Redwood Road and North Temple intersection. Various traffic restrictions will be in place, but access will be maintained.
Crews are removing and replacing curbs, gutters, sidewalks and driveways on the south side of North Temple between Redwood Road and 1950 West.
Curb, gutter and sidewalk removal will take place between 1950 West and Redwood Road on the north side of North Temple in support trench utility relocation.
Storm drain work continues and is approaching 1950 West on North Temple.
Crews are relocating utilities on the south side of North Temple between Redwood Road and 1950 West. During this work there will be lane restrictions but access to all businesses will be maintained and signage will be provided.
Traffic signal work, including conduits, pedestals and junction boxes, is taking place.


Upcoming Construction:

Crews are working on a joint trench crossing at Orange Street. At this time, various lane restrictions will be in place; however, access to businesses will be maintained.
Traffic signal work is scheduled to begin this week at the Redwood Road and North Temple intersection.
Crews are scheduled to begin sewer sag repairs at Orange Street and North Temple on Sept. 7. At this time, various lane restrictions will be in place; however, access to businesses will be maintained and signage will be provided. In preparation for this work various activities are taking place near Orange Street. As we get closer to construction we will be meeting with businesses in this area.
The week following Labor Day weekend, crews will begin demolition and reconstruction work at the Redwood Road and North Temple intersection. Significant traffic restrictions and closures will then take place. As we get closer to construction we will be meeting with businesses in this area.
Crews will continue relocating hydrants and water services in the coming weeks. We will continue to meet with businesses and coordinate any planned interruptions to services.


Traffic Impacts: There are right/left lane restrictions between the I-215 overpass and Redwood Road. As work progresses, there will be additional lane restrictions for both east and west bound traffic, although access will be maintained at all times.



Reach 5

Reach Description: Reach 5 extends from just east of Redwood Road on North Temple to the Jordan River. TRAX will be center running and includes a station at 1500 West. Access to the many businesses and office complexes will be maintained.



Current Construction:

Work continues on the south side of the Jordan River Bridge as crews work on the bridge deck. Crews are forming and pouring transition slabs. The Jordan River Bridge is still on schedule to be completed before the Utah State Fair begins in September.
There is occasional potholing for dry utilities taking place throughout this reach ahead of construction.


Upcoming Construction:

In the coming weeks crews will begin wet and dry utility work.


Traffic Impacts:

Traffic will be limited to one lane in each direction.



Reach 6

Reach Description: Reach 6 extends from the Jordan River to I-15 along North Temple. TRAX will be center running and will include two stations located at approximately 1100 West and 800 West. Access to businesses and the State Fairpark will be maintained.



Current Construction:

Crews are removing and replacing City Creek West from the Jordan River Bridge to 1000 West. This work will be completed before the State Fair.


Traffic Impacts: Traffic control near the Jordan River Bridge, which is limited to one lane in each direction, has been extended to support City Creek West work. This traffic control will switch from one side of the bridge to the other as City Creek progresses.



Reach 7

Reach Description: Reach 7 is the area where the Airport TRAX Line will connect with the current north/south line at the Arena Station. This reach extends from I-15 to 400 West along North Temple and turns south on 400 West to South Temple. Access to offices and the Gateway will be maintained.



Current Construction:

The North Temple Viaduct re-construction project began April 18 and will continue for approximately 18 months.
Crews are drilling 16 shafts for the new viaduct. Eight of these shafts have been drilled, set, and poured and the ninth is under way. This work will take place for approximately three weeks and noise is expected to be minimal.
Wet and dry utility relocations are taking place to prepare for the City Creek East relocation.
Night work is scheduled for the following dates and times for City Creek East relocation:
o Monday, Aug. 9 from 4 a.m. until 4 p.m.

o Sunday, Aug. 15 from 4 a.m. until 6 p.m.

o Sunday, Aug. 29 beginning at 12 a.m. until Monday, August 23 at 3 a.m.

Night work is scheduled for the following date and time while pouring the Abutment Caps at the Viaduct
Friday Aug. 13 from 4 a.m. until 9 a.m.
Crews are potholing and boring on 400 West (MCI fiber)
Crews will be relocating MCI Utility at the intersection of 50 North and 400 West
Please see the viaduct construction guide below to find out how to get around during this portion of 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 access may be temporarily limited.



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 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 questions or comments regarding the project, please contact our toll-free 24-hour hotline at (888) 800-8854 or e-mail tcamp@rideuta.com. You can also visit UTA’s Web site at www.rideuta.com.

Mid Jordan TRAX Construction Update

Image by Steven Vance via Flickr

UTA Mid-Jordan TRAX Line Weekly Construction Update: August 4, 2010



* Cottonwood Street will be closed between Winchester Street and 6500 South from Monday, August 16 through Thursday, September 2.

* Traffic on 7800 South in West Jordan will be subject to lane shifts continuing through mid-September.

* Night work near Winchester Street will continue through Saturday, September 11.

* Please use caution when approaching railroad crossings throughout the project area. Crews and equipment travel on the rails frequently.



The Mid-Jordan TRAX line is a 10.6 mile light rail line that will connect the communities of Murray, Midvale, West Jordan and South Jordan with the existing Sandy/Salt Lake TRAX line. It runs from the existing TRAX line at 6400 South to approximately 7400 South, then turns west along the Bingham Branch of the Union Pacific Railroad. At 5600 West, the line turns south again and ends at the southern end of the Daybreak development.

For construction purposes, the line has been segmented into five sections. The map below shows each section in a different color, beginning with Daybreak on the southwest end and ending with Cottonwood at the northeast end.

Daybreak Area

(This segment runs north through the Daybreak development to Old Bingham Highway at approximately 5600 West)



New vehicle testing is ongoing in Daybreak. Crews will be installing roof panels at the station canopies.

Old Bingham Area

(This segment runs parallel to the existing Union Pacific Railroad Bingham Branch line,

along the Old Bingham Highway from approximately 5600 West to the Bangerter Station, east of Bangerter Highway)

Crews continue installing drainage and modifying the concrete channel along Old Bingham Highway. Landscape work at the 4800 West park & ride is nearly complete. The traffic signal at 5200 West will be activated soon.

Sugar Factory Area

(This segment continues northeast along the UPRR Bingham Branch from approximately Bangerter
Highway to Gardner Village)

Grading work continues at the Redwood park & ride, prior to construction of curbing, gutters and asphalt paving. Concrete work continues at the Redwood station platform, and landscaping begins at the 2700 West park & ride. Crews continue to string overhead catenary system (OCS) wire.

Gardner Village Area

(This segment continues along the UPRR Bingham Branch northeast from Gardner Village to 700 West)

Work on the 7800 South bridge moves forward as construction crews paint the new bridge and conduct repairs on the old one. The Gardner Village park & ride is scheduled to be paved next week. OCS poles are being erected in this segment, and track work moves continues.



ACTIVITY: Bridge repairs at 7800 South

TRAFFIC IMPACT: 7800 South will have lane shifts in place through mid-September.

Cottonwood Area

(This segment extends north from 700 West along the existing light rail alignment to its terminus at the 6400 South-

Fashion Place Station)

Track work, including switches, derails and signals, is moving forward on both sides of Cottonwood Street as crews work towards connecting the Mid-Jordan line with the Sandy-Salt Lake line. Work is also progressing at the site of the future west platform at the Fashion Place station. Lovendahl Yard track work continues as switches, pre-curved rail and other special track is installed.



* NEW ACTIVITY: Reconstruction of Cottonwood Street in cooperation with Murray City.

TRAFFIC IMPACT: Cottonwood Street will be closed between Winchester Street and 6500 South from Monday, August 16 through Thursday, September 2.



ACTIVITY: Installation of OCS poles, wires, and power and signal equipment south of Winchester Street

IMPACT: Work will take place during overnight hours Saturday night, July 24 through Saturday night, September 11.

General Information

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



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 access may be temporarily limited.



Construction Hours

Construction is permitted to take place between 7 am to 7 pm Monday through Saturday. Additionally, specific activities may require different working hours depending upon 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) 550-2211.



For More Information

Information is available to assist business and residential communities as well as commuters and stakeholders.

If you have questions or comments regarding the project, please contact our toll-free 24-hour hotline at (888) 550-2211 or e-mail midjordan@rideuta.com. You can also visit the UTA Web site at www.rideuta.com/projects/midjordanlightrail.

Front Runner Construction Update

Image via Wikipedia

Greetings,



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

Below is the FrontRunner South construction update for August 7 – 13. Please note that construction information is subject to change.



FrontRunner South construction began in 2008 and is approximately 50 percent complete. The FrontRunner South line will be complete and operational by 2015. Please visit UTA’s FrontRunner South Webpage to learn more about the project. To view more FrontRunner South construction photos, please visit www.flickr.com/rideuta.



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



Construction Activity:

Crews will be working on waterline casings on 1700 South on Monday and on 3900 South Monday through Friday. At the 3300 South bridge, crews will continue work on the south abutment slope. Between 3300 South and Central Avenue, crews will continue to embank the track way and excavate for a retaining wall that will run just south of 3900 South. On the south side of the Central Avenue bridge, crews will excavate, and form and pour a leveling pad for a wall footing. They will also place wall panels and backfill them at the Central Avenue bridge. Between Central Avenue and 4500 South, crews will embank the track way and place wick sand, and at the 4500 South bridge, crews will work on wing and back walls at one of the north abutments.



Traffic Impacts:

The center turn lane and eastbound and westbound left lanes will be closed on 1700 South for utility work on Monday.



The eastbound right lane on 3300 South will be closed Monday through Thursday.



There will be single lane traffic with flaggers on 300 West just north of 3900 South for utility work Monday through Friday.



There will be truck traffic with flaggers on Central Avenue Monday through Friday.



The westbound right lane on 4500 South will be closed Monday through Thursday.



Salt Lake Central Station:

Station complete.



Area 15 — 4500 South (Murray) to Wasatch Street/8000 South (Midvale)



Construction Activity:

Crews will extend a waterline casing on the 4500 South Frontage Road and will form and pour concrete for an abutment slope at the 5300 South bridge. Work on retaining walls that will run between 5900 South and I-215 will also begin this week.



Traffic Impacts:

The 4500 South Frontage Road is currently closed at the tracks for bridge work through the end of August.



The westbound right lane on 5300 South will be closed Monday through Thursday.



There will be truck traffic with flaggers on 5900 South Monday through Thursday.



Murray Station:

Crews will continue to excavate for canopy light pole foundations at the Station.



Area 14 — Wasatch Street/8000 South (Midvale) to 14600 South (Bluffdale)



General Information:

Considerable progress has been made on the flyover structure west of Salt Lake Community College’s Miller Campus at 9800 South. The 642-foot flyover bridge features a 40-foot-high bridge deck that will allow FrontRunner to travel from the east to the west side of Union Pacific Railroad’s track way. The flyover structure’s approaches consist of keystone block MSE walls filled entirely with lightweight fill to minimize settlement.



Construction Activity:

Between Wasatch Street and 9000 South, crews will finish installing reinforced concrete pipe, install a box, backfill trenches and grout boxes. On the north side of the 9000 South bridge, crews will excavate for a retaining wall, and at the 9120 South bridge, crews will finish installing shoring and excavate and drill nails at the bridge’s north abutment. Crossing upgrades will take place at the 10000 South crossing in conjunction with South Jordan’s road widening project. Crossing upgrades include signal and track work, the installation of concrete medians and signs, road striping, and asphalt replacement. Crews will also be repairing and proofing power conduit and installing duct bank at 10000 South.



At 10200 South, crews will be extending a gas line casing, and at the 10600 South bridge crews will be working on two of the bridge piers and one of the abutments. Between Jordan Gateway and 11400 South, crews will continue installing chain link fence, and at 11400 South, crews will place ties and construct and surface, line and dress track in preparation for a shifting of Union Pacific track. Between 11400 South and Bangerter Highway, crews will install duct bank, and at the Bangerter Highway bridge, crews will build forms and pour concrete for back and wing walls. South of Bangerter Highway, crews will install chain link and 5-strand barb wire fencing, clear and grub the corridor and embank the track way.



Traffic Impacts:

There will be a right shoulder closure on the I-15 southbound off-ramp to 9000 South one day this week so crews can load a crane near the 9000 South bridge site. This shoulder closure will likely take place on Tuesday.



There will be a lane shift of the westbound right lane on 9120 South Monday through Friday.



There will be truck traffic with flaggers on 9400 South Monday through Thursday.



The 10000 South crossing will be closed for crossing upgrade work Monday, August 9 through Wednesday, August 18. Through traffic should detour north to 9400 South and no pedestrian access will be available across the crossing.



The eastbound left lane on 10600 South will be closed Monday through Thursday during the day as well as two nights this week.



The eastbound right lane on Bangerter Highway will be closed Monday through Thursday



South Jordan Station:

Lightweight fill for the job is being stored at the station site. There are no construction activities to report.



Draper Future Station:

There are no construction activities to report.



Area 13 — 14600 South (Bluffdale) to Thanksgiving Point (Lehi)



Construction Activity:

Work on a water line casing near 15000 South, demolition of existing Union Pacific track in the Jordan Narrows and slope excavation and stabilization below the Thanksgiving Point golf course continues this week. Crews will also be working the deck and girders of the Jordan River bridge.



Traffic Impacts:

There are currently no impacts to motorists in this area.



Area 12 — Thanksgiving Point (Lehi) to Main Street (American Fork)



General Information:

Crews are currently constructing two major bridges in Lehi at 2300 West and 2100 North. The 2300 West bridge will allow FrontRunner to travel over Lehi City’s future 2300 West road project and the 2100 North bridge will span UDOT’s future Mountain View Corridor, 2100 North roadway. The 2100 North bridge will feature abutments on each end of the bridge and five center piers. For the purposes of this publication, the piers are numbered 1 through 5 starting at the southern end of the bridge.



Construction Activity:

At the 2300 West bridge, crews will backfill at the south abutment, and at the 2100 North bridge, crews will work on the bridge parapet, deck and ballast walls. Between 2100 North and 1500 North, crews will continue to install permanent fencing and will also prep the sub grade, and from 1500 North to 900 North, crews will embank the track way. South of 900 North, crews will construct a retaining wall and between Main Street and Center Street, crews will work on signal systems. Between 200 South and Center Street, crews will install duct bank, and between 300 South and Center Street, crews will remove trees and stumps and excavate and construct a retaining wall.



Traffic Impacts:

There will be truck traffic with flaggers in the following Lehi locations this week:

· Club House Drive near Executive Parkway, Monday through Friday

· Garden Drive near the pedestrian tunnel, Monday through Friday

· 1500 North, Wednesday and Thursday

· 1220 North, Wednesday and Thursday

· 900 North, Monday through Thursday



Lehi Station:

A portion of the Lehi Station Park and Ride Lot is now open for public use.



At the pedestrian tunnel, crews will build forms and pour concrete for the ramp walls, form the tunnel walls and backfill the tunnel ramps. At the Park and Ride Lot, crews will continue curb and gutter work.



Area 11 — Main Street (American Fork) to University Parkway (Orem)



Construction Activity:

In American Fork, crews will be finishing crossing upgrades at the 100 East, 1100 South and 1500 South crossings. In Vineyard, crews will place ties and skeletonize track near the box culvert recently constructed at Anderson Geneva, and, in Orem between 400 South and 800 South, crews will de-stress track.



Traffic Impacts:

There will be truck traffic with flaggers and equipment in the area of the 1500 South crossing in American Fork all week so crews can finish crossing upgrades.



American Fork Station:

Crews will be installing monument sign lighting at the American Fork Park and Ride Lot.



Vineyard Future Station:

There are no construction activities to report.



Orem Station:

There are no construction activities to report.



Area 10 — University Parkway (Orem) to Center Street (Provo)



General Information:

Significant progress has been made in Area 10 along the Union Pacific Railroad corridor between University Parkway in Orem and Freedom Boulevard in Provo. Crews have prepared a path for FrontRunner by grading and clearing the right-of-way and relocating water lines. Drainage and irrigation installations are generally complete in this area, and main line earthwork has been finalized from University Parkway to 2000 South in Orem and from the Provo River bridge to 500 West in Provo. At-grade crossing improvements have also been completed in Provo at 2000 North, 2800 West, 1680 North, 820 North, Draper Lane, 900 West, 700 West, 500 West and Freedom Boulevard.



Construction Activity:

Crews will be working in Union Pacific’s Lakota Junction area near University Parkway in Orem and setting a signal house between the Provo River Bridge and Center Street. At 500 South 900 West, crews will install a storm drain, and between University Avenue and 900 South, crews will finish mass excavation in the corridor, install slopes and ditches, and prep the sub grade.



Traffic Impacts:

There are currently no impacts to motorists in this area.



Provo Station:

Crews will continue work on snow melt facilities and also set forms and pour concrete on the north side of the platform.


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.