Salt Lake Transit News Thread

[Future Mayor]

Originally Posted by (Eco)nomy_404

You said that "transit investments" increased by $3.5 billion but I think you meant "mass transit". If you count all transit investments over that 15-year time period, it might be closer to $10 billion with all the surface street upgrades (such as 35th South, 78th South, 90th South, 106th South, 114th South, 126th South, 134th South, etc.), freeway expansion/upgrades (Mountain View Corridor, I-15, SR 201, I-80, etc.), continuous flow intersections along Bangerter and Redwood, etc.

No, he said Transit investment because that's exactly what he was referring to, "Transit" What you are referring to with I-15 and other roads is "Transportation Investment"

[Stenar]

Originally Posted by CountyLemonade

Why can't the UTA just be consistent with its naming practices? Either give all stations names like Meadowbrook or Power (Power? seriously?) or give all stations names based on the nearest cross street (like 900 South, 900 East). And what's up with not giving some stations names at all?

They should call the Power Station stop, the Electric Co. (after the old kids show.)

[(Eco)nomy_404]

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

No, he said Transit investment because that's exactly what he was referring to, "Transit" What you are referring to with I-15 and other roads is "Transportation Investment"

Transit and transportation mean almost the same thing - they just differ in what is actually being transported and what is doing the transporting. In Portuguese, "transito" actually refers to automobile traffic and "transporte publico" refers to mass transit. In English, however, the terms mean almost the same thing. "Transit" refers to the general carrying of goods and people whereas "transportation" refers to a network or transit structure doing the carrying. So, put simply, transit is the general movement of goods and people and transportation is the system of infrastructure carrying the goods and people. Although "transportation" may also refer to the action of moving goods and people.

Google Search:

"Define:Transit"

Definition (Noun): The carrying of people, goods, or materials from one place to another.

"Define: Transportation"

Definition (Noun): A system or means of transporting people or goods. (Verb) The action of transporting someone or something or the process of being transported.

I asume that is why this thread is titled "Utah Transit News" because it refers to the general carrying of goods and people in Utah, not exclusively mass-transit. I didn`t mean to be annoying about this, I just wanted to point out that there has been a lot invested in general transit infrastructures in addition to mass transit in Utah. I also wanted to point out that many of us on here tend to mix up terms, such as using "transit" to exclusively refer to "mass-transit" when it may refer to any developments related to the airport, rails, roads, freeways, etc (movement of goods, people, or materials). If you are just talking about rails and buses, then be clear that you are talking about "mass-transit".

[Future Mayor]

I was simply nit picinking your statement because you nit picked a previous statement by another forumer.

Traditionaly the term "Transit" refers to type of mass transit, such as communter trains, LRT, and busses, while transportation tend to refer to roads. Thus why the "T" in UDOT and UTA mean different things.

[jedikermit]

Originally Posted by Stenar

They should call the Power Station stop, the Electric Co. (after the old kids show.)

...love that idea. Then again, I would.

[(Eco)nomy_404]

Originally Posted by Future Mayor

I was simply nit picinking your statement because you nit picked a previous statement by another forumer.

Traditionaly the term "Transit" refers to type of mass transit, such as communter trains, LRT, and busses, while transportation tend to refer to roads. Thus why the "T" in UDOT and UTA mean different things.

This thread could just as well be called the "Utah Transportation Thread" as the "Utah Transit Thread". Either term could be used to refer broadly to the subject. Since both terms are vague, if you want to make a specific point about a specific mode of transportation, it might be useful to use a more specific term. Since the broader term was used, I elaborated on the broader subject. I didn`t mean to nit-pick. I`m sorry if it came across that way. I was just trying to build on the statement to make a broader point. You may choose to ignore my point if you prefer.

[Future Mayor]

I fully appreicated your breakdown and transit and transportation infrastructure investment that has and is occuring along the Wasatch Front.

[John Martin]

Yay!

[(Eco)nomy_404]

Originally Posted by John Martin

Yay!

After the 3-year production delay, its nice to finally see the Dreamliners flying off the Boeing assembly lines and into our airports

That`s what happens when you outsource, Boeing. Maybe they have learned their lesson and will keep their production lines here in the states from now on. As a result of trying to save on labor costs, they had so many miss-orders of the wrong size, quantity, or even wrong part as they outsourced the production process to many countries such as Italy, Japan, China, Mexico, and others. Having a global supply chain forces a company to rely on the punctuality and quality of foreign suppliers - which aren`t always very reliable. Some of the orders came in months latter than scheduled. It was a big mess! Boeing ended up spending much more than it would have had it just kept the entire production process here in the States (or at least North America). It has been said that time is money, so how much is 3 years worth? Just the wasted time of the 5 delays spanning 3 years is an unquantifiable expense. I bet a lot of the airlines that placed orders gave up waiting and just ordered an Airbus instead.

[CountyLemonade]

I wonder if the possibility still exists for the FrontRunner, Blue Line, and Green Line extensions to all finish by December. For what it's worth, UTA continues to give a 2013 date for the airport extension opening.

Has anyone noticed that they're putting up illuminated street signs on traffic signals? I saw this yesterday at 400 West and North Temple. It's reminiscent of what Murray used to do in the '70s and '80s.

[Old&New]

Im not sure what you mean, like freeway signage?

[CountyLemonade]

Originally Posted by Old&New

Im not sure what you mean, like freeway signage?

Nope. It's lit from the inside, like so:


M35031_South-Las-Vegas-Blvd by aamengus, on Flickr

[Old&New]

Very cool!

[H4vok]

I've noticed they've started installing surveillance cameras at the downtown TRAX stations

[stayinginformed]

I drove down North Temple yesterday, to see the progress, and noticed something interesting. I know they are doing different colored poles at each station, but up until now, I assumed it would be the same color for all 3-4 poles at each station, but it looks like the poles within each station area are different shades of a color. I had noticed the poles at the Power Station were different shades of blue/purple/grey before, but I thought maybe some had sat out in the sun and faded. Then they put the poles in at the Fairpark Station this week. The poles go from light green (Kermit green) to pale yellow at that station. After seeing that, I went to the 1940 West station and saw that the poles there go from a light orange hue to yellow.

I was warming up to the idea of the colored poles at each station, but now that each pole within a station is a different shade, I am becoming less supportive of it.

[Future Mayor]

I drove up and down the entire line today and I have to say, I actually love the idea of the multi colored poles at each station. Not only does it give each station some variety, it gives the stations themselves some character. There are some red and dark blue poles sitting just south of the Radisson waiting to be installed.

[Smuttynose1]

The Fourth Quarter transit ridership numbers are out from APTA and TRAX has edged up to an average of 59,100 weekday riders (up from 55,500 riders last quarter). Most other agencies seemed to stay flat or drop a bit, with the exception of Dallas, which jumped significantly (Dallas opened a new light rail line which opened in entirety in December 2010).

[Old&New]

I be salt lake city ridership numbers will jump significantly when the airport line opens.

[SLCdude]

Denver and Dallas are making major expansions to their LRT systems at this time. If TRAX ridership comes close to Denver and Dallas's systems' numbers, don't expect it to last long.

[s.p.hansen]

Originally Posted by SLCdude

Denver and Dallas are making major expansions to their LRT systems at this time. If TRAX ridership comes close to Denver and Dallas's systems' numbers, don't expect it to last long.

I think if we're lucky we'll get about 1 quarter where we'll tie or come close to Denver before they rocket ahead next spring.