Salt Lake Transit News Thread - Page 220

stayinginformed · #**4381** Posted **Jun 5, 2012, 2:25 PM**

The last piece of rail on the Airport TRAX line had been laid. The only portion that was left was the intersection at 900 West and North Temple. Now we just have the wiring, sidewalks (which are moving along nicely), and to repave the roads (already done between Redwood Rd and 1000 West).

Future Mayor · #**4382** Posted **Jun 5, 2012, 3:11 PM**

That is exactly why they post increases and decreases by comparative quarters, because ridership differs from quarter to quarter, retail sales does the same thing. You can't compare last quarter vs this quarter because there are seasonal changes each quarter, for instance, as was done a few posts back comparing 1st quarter to 4th quarter isn't fair because 4th quarter includes poeple riding downtown to see the lights for Christmas.

So as the article stated, 1st Quarter ridership is up 34%, I won't be surprised to see a double digit increase each quarter (qtr vs qtr) for many years. The airport will help, Sugarhouse will help, and FrontRunner will all increase the trax numbers. I would estimate that a large portion of that 34% increase over 2011 is due to City Creek Center opening.

I would guess that Streetcar will have its own ridership number.

stayinginformed · #**4383** Posted **Jun 5, 2012, 10:52 PM**

The elevator frame for the TRAX/Frontrunner transfer station was just bolted to the concrete.

SLCdude · #**4384** Posted **Jun 6, 2012, 5:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by stayinginformed

The red to orange poles at the Fairpark/Euclid TRAX Station.

Quote:

Originally Posted by stayinginformed

The elevator frame for the TRAX/Frontrunner transfer station was just bolted to the concrete.

I love the multicolored posts even more than anticipated!

(Eco)nomy_404 · #**4385** Posted **Jun 6, 2012, 11:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by CountyLemonade

Not exactly. Basically, three-digit Interstates that spur off of the main Interstate and do not reconnect to a freeway begin with an odd number (and most of those spurs do go to the city center, like I-184, but I-540 in Arkansas is an example of one that does not). Three-digit Interstates that begin and end at a freeway begin with an even number. If SR-201 were upgraded to freeway standards all the way through, and it were converted from a state route to an Interstate, then it would be an even-numbered three-digit Interstate because it begins at I-15/I-80 and ends at I-80.

As for making SR-85/SR-67 Interstate highways, this discussion took place on the AARoads forum about the reasons why Interstate designations may not be pursued. Essentially, there are fewer regulations to go through when building a state route freeway as compared to building an Interstate freeway.

I believe Future Mayor is right on this one. The numbering has nothing to do with whether it starts/ends on another freeway or not but all to do with whether it spurs into the city center or circumvents it. I can think of several examples of odd-numbered triple digit freeways that begin and end at freeways. I-980 in Oakland, CA begins at the interchange of CA State Route 24 and I-580 and terminates at I-880. You can freely travel between I-580 and I-880 via I-980 without ever being forced off the freeway onto surface streets. Additionally, I-580 connects I-5 near Modesto to I-80 at the S.F.-Oakland Bay bridge without ever terminating at a surface street. Then there`s the I-380 that connects I-280 south of San Francisco to the 101 near SFO. I-780 also connects I-80 near Valejo to I-680 near Benecia, etc, etc. What determines the first digit is where the freeway goes in relation to the urban focal point.

CountyLemonade · #**4386** Posted **Jun 8, 2012, 12:54 AM**

I-80 and its auxiliary freeways in California are anomalies. They had only so many numbers they could use (180, 280, ... 980), so that's why you have the break in convention. But otherwise, it has nothing to do with whether the freeway connects to the CBD.

From the Wikipedia page:

Quote:

Spur routes deviate from their parent and do not return; these are given an odd first digit. Circumferential and radial loop routes return to Interstate Highways, and are given an even first digit.

Notice the wording "parent route." Note that I-215 begins at I-80 and ends at I-15, which means it never technically returns to its parent route. However, it returns to another Interstate freeway, which is really all that matters in receiving that even digit.

If there were an Interstate freeway spur that were built from, say, Bluffdale to Riverton, and it ran from I-15 to a surface street, or even SR-85 (an eventual freeway, but not an Interstate freeway), it would still receive an odd-numbered first digit.

This diagram sums it up nicely:

joscar · #**4387** Posted **Jun 10, 2012, 3:59 AM**

UTA is going to begin running occasional test trains, conducted in segments, on FrontRunner South this Monday, June 11! Full time testing, with trains every half-hour, will start in early August.

http://www.rideuta.com/mc/?page=UTA-...tRunnerTesting

ajiuO · #**4388** Posted **Jun 11, 2012, 1:11 AM**

Has UTA officially announced what they are doing to the lines once the airport line opens?

Will they add a 4th line?

If I were to guess. I would bet that the green line will be moved. It sounds like there will be a front runner station at north temple so there is no reason for blue and green to both go to the hub... And green is the shorter of the two lines.

I think they should do that and also add a yellow line that goes from the u to either the hub or the airport.

CountyLemonade · #**4389** Posted **Jun 11, 2012, 1:29 AM**

Yep. The northern terminus of the Green Line will simply be moved from Central Station to the airport. So, Green Line trains will turn north at 400 West by the Delta Center, whereas Blue Line trains will continue to turn south toward Central Station.

ajiuO · #**4390** Posted **Jun 11, 2012, 1:37 AM**

Well I guess I made a good guess

I still hope we get a yellow line that goes from the u to the west end of town.

Also I think I would support UTA removing busses from the free fare zone if they expanded the trax free zone to 900 east or at least trolly

P.S.

Power!!! Come on, seriously?

DCRes · #**4391** Posted **Jun 12, 2012, 2:33 PM**

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politic...enter.html.csp

Looks like the Park City-SLC bus route does not have very high ridership

scottharding · #**4392** Posted **Jun 12, 2012, 2:47 PM**

The Central Station really is kind of useless.

Future Mayor · #**4393** Posted **Jun 12, 2012, 3:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottharding

The Central Station really is kind of useless.

I think FrontRunner south will help to cure this a bit. I'm still pissed that 11 crappy homes, on one side of 600 West caused Central Station to become an after thought.

As for a line from either the Airport or Central Station directly to the U, I too think it should happen, I would prefer Central Station. But I think it should be the White line, to coincide with the already in use Red line.

SLC Projects · #**4394** Posted **Jun 12, 2012, 6:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottharding

The Central Station really is kind of useless.

I think the daybreak north station is kind of useless as of now.

wrendog · #**4395** Posted **Jun 12, 2012, 9:02 PM**

Central Station really needs a line to the Airport. That seems like a smart thing to do! As is, if I want to take Frontrunner from here in Lehi to the Airport, I will have to transfer to TRAX on the Blue line, get off at Arena and catch the Green line to the Airport. That is pretty silly. I hope they fix that!

billbillbillbill · #**4396** Posted **Jun 12, 2012, 9:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wrendog

Central Station really needs a line to the Airport. That seems like a smart thing to do! As is, if I want to take Frontrunner from here in Lehi to the Airport, I will have to transfer to TRAX on the Blue line, get off at Arena and catch the Green line to the Airport. That is pretty silly. I hope they fix that!

You can stay on Frontrunner one more stop, get off at the North Temple Viaduct, go up the escalator and get directly on the green line to the airport.

wrendog · #**4397** Posted **Jun 12, 2012, 9:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by billbillbillbill

You can stay on Frontrunner one more stop, get off at the North Temple Viaduct, go up the escalator and get directly on the green line to the airport.

Aha! Good call.

billbillbillbill · #**4398** Posted **Jun 12, 2012, 9:49 PM**

The Central Station could be strengthened if they would continue the University line tracks down 400 S. and connect to the station via 500 S or 600 S. directly. That is where the white line should run making the trip to the U faster and not adding to the track congestion downtown. I remember someone posting that suggestion a while back and it still makes a lot of sense.

RC14 · #**4399** Posted **Jun 13, 2012, 12:59 AM**

^
Amen, and from there the 'white line' should continue to the airport.

CountyLemonade · #**4400** Posted **Jun 13, 2012, 6:55 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SLC Projects

I think the daybreak north station is kind of useless as of now.

It'll be quite useful when Daybreak is built-out in twenty years.