HomeDiagramsDatabaseMapsForum About
     

Go Back   SkyscraperPage Forum > Regional Sections > United States > Mountain West


Reply

 
Thread Tools Display Modes
     
     
  #1701  
Old Posted Apr 30, 2009, 5:20 PM
skyguy414 skyguy414 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SLC
Posts: 299
For those who care, 'Salt Lake Airport No. 2' in West Jordan was officially renamed 'South Valley Regional Airport' this month. The reasoning was to avoid confusion with SLC Int'l and to give it a real name, rather than just a number. Another name considered was 'Salt Lake Executive Airport' but was turned down, again to avoid confusion with SLC Int'l Airport. Even though the airport is in West Jordan, it is owned and operated by Salt Lake City, which may be one reason it wasn't named 'West Jordan Airport'. But then again, the Tooele airport is also owned by Salt Lake City, and yet they call it 'Tooele Valley Airport'. So who knows.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1702  
Old Posted Apr 30, 2009, 6:14 PM
shakman's Avatar
shakman shakman is offline
Chairman
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: PRMD - People's Republic of Maryland
Posts: 2,667
Quote:
Originally Posted by skyguy414 View Post
For those who care, 'Salt Lake Airport No. 2' in West Jordan was officially renamed 'South Valley Regional Airport' this month. The reasoning was to avoid confusion with SLC Int'l and to give it a real name, rather than just a number. Another name considered was 'Salt Lake Executive Airport' but was turned down, again to avoid confusion with SLC Int'l Airport. Even though the airport is in West Jordan, it is owned and operated by Salt Lake City, which may be one reason it wasn't named 'West Jordan Airport'. But then again, the Tooele airport is also owned by Salt Lake City, and yet they call it 'Tooele Valley Airport'. So who knows.

It is good to hear that these smaller airports have their own names. It gives a sense of identity towards their respective area. Do private jets frequent South Valley and Tooele Valley? Do both airports have night time VFR capabilities?

Future Mayor - Just wanted to make sure. Sometimes my English can lose people.
__________________
"I measure the value of life not by how much I have, instead by what I have done.

-sb
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1703  
Old Posted Apr 30, 2009, 7:11 PM
skyguy414 skyguy414 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SLC
Posts: 299
Quote:
Originally Posted by shakman View Post
It is good to hear that these smaller airports have their own names. It gives a sense of identity towards their respective area. Do private jets frequent South Valley and Tooele Valley? Do both airports have night time VFR capabilities?

Future Mayor - Just wanted to make sure. Sometimes my English can lose people.
South Valley is used by mostly privately owned prop aircraft and helicopters. Tooele is not as busy and is mostly used by prop aircraft. People who own or charter jets use SLC Int'l for the most part because it has the nicer FBO terminals and is better equipped. South Valley gets some smaller private jets, just not nearly as often. It is pretty rare to see jets in Tooele, but they do pop in every once in a while. Provo and Ogden airports are pretty busy with jet traffic and have nice facilites. There is also an airport in Woods Cross which is pretty small but still busy with smaller aircraft. The airport in Heber City is pretty busy too and gets a lot of private jets in the heavy tourism seasons.

South Valley only has a GPS approach, so jets wanting to land there when the visibility drops below 2-3 miles are forced to land elsewhere. Tooele got an ILS approach last year, so they are a better low-visibility airport but I haven't really seen any increase in operations there because of it. It is mostly just used by pilots to practice ILS approaches.

All the airports are fine for night-time ops.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1704  
Old Posted Apr 30, 2009, 8:13 PM
WASDEN's Avatar
WASDEN WASDEN is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Kailua HI
Posts: 391


I'm all for Airport #2 having its own real name, but "South Valley Regional Airport" sounds ambiguous and lame. What community could identify with a name like that? What about Oquirrh Airport, Jordans Jetport, Jordan Valley Jetport or some name that really is associated with that part of the valley yet distinct from Salt Lake International??

Anyway thanks for the update Skyguy.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1705  
Old Posted Apr 30, 2009, 8:47 PM
skyguy414 skyguy414 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SLC
Posts: 299
Quote:
Originally Posted by WASDEN View Post


I'm all for Airport #2 having its own real name, but "South Valley Regional Airport" sounds ambiguous and lame. What community could identify with a name like that? What about Oquirrh Airport, Jordans Jetport, Jordan Valley Jetport or some name that really is associated with that part of the valley yet distinct from Salt Lake International??

Anyway thanks for the update Skyguy.
I agree, they could have come up with a better name and maybe allowed the public to make suggestions. I didn't even know they had re-named it until I saw a 'notice to airmen' published by the FAA recently. I personally would have liked the name 'Jordan Valley Airport'.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1706  
Old Posted Apr 30, 2009, 10:08 PM
John Martin's Avatar
John Martin John Martin is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,195
I think I'm still gonna have to refer to it as "airport number two."
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1707  
Old Posted Apr 30, 2009, 10:49 PM
Urban_logic's Avatar
Urban_logic Urban_logic is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Sandy, UT
Posts: 360
Quote:
Originally Posted by shakman View Post
It is good to hear that these smaller airports have their own names. It gives a sense of identity towards their respective area. Do private jets frequent South Valley and Tooele Valley? Do both airports have night time VFR capabilities?
I know that Target regional and company exects fly into South Valley when they walk the local stores. I used to work at Jordan Landing Target. We were almost always the first stop when they came in on their surprise walks. We would get like a 30-45 min notice to freak out and beautify the store as much as possible. Target loves the airport because it has 3 stores within 5 miles, then 2 Super Targets within 10 miles. It is the perfect location for quick accessibility to all of the Salt Lake area stores.

I also know that companies with West Jordan-based regional centers frequently use the airport. This is the reason West Jordan (and now Daybreak's industrial park) have so many regional centers. Companies like Dannon, Kraft, and Sysco have regional centers here. Daybreak will get an Ebay center soon. Jordan Landing also has some HQ's in it, which borders the airport - companies like Utah's Cyprus and Mountain America credit unions are headquartered there. Fairchild Semiconductor and Dunford Bakeries are also headquartered nearby in West Jordan. Much of the economy in the southwestern part of the valley has been shaped by this airport. I find it ironic that SLC owns the airport. Isn't it them who bitch so loudly about the "burbs" stealing away business? It's kinda their fault

The airport is also used by the National Gaurd (planes fly between there and Camp Williams daily). Katrina victims were flown through the airport I believe when they were sent to Camp Williams, which served as an evacuee shelter.

With over 100,000 people just in West Jordan (over a quarter million in this part of the valley), I think this airport could expand. I think I heard a rumor that it would expand in the not-too-far future. Anyone else heard much about this? I think I read about it in the West Jordan Journal.

Last edited by Urban_logic; Apr 30, 2009 at 11:18 PM.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1708  
Old Posted May 1, 2009, 12:18 AM
skyguy414 skyguy414 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SLC
Posts: 299
West Jordan wants the airport but they want limits on its future growth. In fact, West Jordan has an agreement with the SLC Department of Airports (The operator of South Valley Airport) to cap the number of aircraft which can be based on the airport, at West Jordan's request. The area around the airport is very noise sensitive as well which would play a big part in any future growth there.

There is a master plan for the airport which shows some of its plans, but there is nothing too major. There will be some more hangars, but thats about it.

Master Plan:
http://www.slcairport.com/pdf/planning/ap2_mpdraft1.pdf

Layout Plan:
http://www.slcairport.com/pdf/planning/ap2_alp.pdf

I think most companies are reluctant to base aircraft there because there is a lack of facilities and services compared to SLC Int'l. The only FBO at South Valley airport only operates from 7am-9pm whereas the FBO's at SLC operate 24/7 which is a big plus. They would also face the possibility of the airport not being accessible on days with lower visibility, whereas aircraft can operate in low visibility at SLC.

That said, I think SLC Int'l, Provo, and Ogden will continue to remain the primary airports for corporate aircraft. Airports like South Valley, Tooele, and Bountiful Skypark will cater more to people with smaller private aircraft as well as smaller charter companies, sky diving companies, and flight schools.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1709  
Old Posted May 1, 2009, 12:23 AM
skyguy414 skyguy414 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SLC
Posts: 299
double post...sorry.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1710  
Old Posted May 1, 2009, 6:09 AM
SLC Projects's Avatar
SLC Projects SLC Projects is offline
Bring out the cranes...
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Salt Lake City
Posts: 6,108
Number 18 airport?


I notice in one of the mads in the pdf it shows a number 18 airport. It looks like it's in South Jordan somewhere in the daybreak area.
I have never heard of this airport or even know there was one out there.
__________________
1. "Wells Fargo Building" 24-stories 422 FT 1998
2. "LDS Church Office Building" 28-stories 420 FT 1973
3. "111 South Main" 24-stories 387 FT 2016
4. "99 West" 30-stories 375 FT 2011
5. "Key Bank Tower" 27-stories 351 FT 1976
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1711  
Old Posted May 1, 2009, 1:20 PM
skyguy414 skyguy414 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SLC
Posts: 299
Quote:
Originally Posted by SLC Projects View Post

I notice in one of the mads in the pdf it shows a number 18 airport. It looks like it's in South Jordan somewhere in the daybreak area.
I have never heard of this airport or even know there was one out there.


Here is what you are refering to. It is listed as a private dirt/gravel strip. Not much of an airport and it isn't maintained.


http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sour...09613&t=h&z=17

Last edited by skyguy414; May 1, 2009 at 1:32 PM.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1712  
Old Posted May 1, 2009, 8:32 PM
shakman's Avatar
shakman shakman is offline
Chairman
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: PRMD - People's Republic of Maryland
Posts: 2,667
Everyone - Thanks for all of the information. A lot learned today, especially about the aviation scence in and around the SLC area. (More learned online than today at work. )

Interesting how we were all taking about trains two days ago and now planes.

__________________
"I measure the value of life not by how much I have, instead by what I have done.

-sb
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1713  
Old Posted May 11, 2009, 5:54 AM
WASDEN's Avatar
WASDEN WASDEN is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Kailua HI
Posts: 391
Front Runner ridership 31% below projections

This doesn't surprise me. I like the idea of Frontrunner but it could have been designed in a way that is far more efficient with a commuter's time (double tracking, and why such a crawl trough the refinery district?). And then theres the issue of cost. If I didn't have a student pass, I'm not sure I would ever use it. This coming from a huge supporter of public transit.




http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_12339371

by Brandon Loomis
Salt Lake Tribune

"FrontRunner commuter trains are running 31 percent emptier than transit officials had projected when the line opened a year ago, and even lighter than when high gasoline prices drove waves of riders to the rails last summer.

Then again, highways are seeing less traffic as well in this struggling economy. Where critics see a waste of tax dollars, believers see a down cycle that will end with the recession.

"I noticed today that the parking lot wasn't as full as when [FrontRunner] started," Layton passenger Terry Smedley said last Thursday during his daily ride to Salt Lake City. It was roughly half empty. "But that might be because of gas prices. They'll be back."


For now, though, ridership is well off of last April's opening-day projections, and not just from the $4.50-a-gallon gas days. The Utah Transit Authority still is tallying last month's numbers, but March drew 4,083 riders per weekday on the diesel-powered Pleasant View-Salt Lake City trains. UTA had projected 5,900 per weekday at opening and logged almost exactly that a year ago.

When pump prices exploded, commuters crowded the double-decker cars to average nearly 8,800 in August. With those prices now just upward of $2 a gallon, an $11 round-trip ticket from Ogden to Salt Lake City becomes a closer call.

"It was really busy last summer," said University of Utah commuter Alice Lundgren while riding a FrontRunner train that would drop her downtown at 8:37 a.m. In those days, she said, each of the four-seat pods carried at least two people.

On this morning, the upper deck where she rode had 18 such pods, but only 11 riders.

Despite relief at the pump, highways also are emptier this year. The latest monthly figures from the Federal Highway Administration found that Utahns in February drove 3.6 percent fewer miles on urban arterial roads than they had in February 2008.

Legacy Parkway opened four new lanes through Davis County last September. That cleared congestion on Interstate 15 and gave commuters another option.

Those who stuck with FrontRunner appear drawn to the leisurely ride.

Smedley, for instance, worked a book of puzzles Thursday. Lundgren gazed out the window while listening to something through ear buds.

"Avoid the stress of traffic every day," west Farmington resident Eric Larson listed as his top reason for riding.

The information-technology worker had beads of sweat on his forehead after riding a mountain bike to the Farmington platform. Besides the exercise and traffic dodging, he said, there's the free wireless Internet access for his laptop.

"I kind of catch up before I get to the office," he said.

Larson never rode public transportation into Salt Lake City before FrontRunner.

"A few people at work told me the express bus wasn't that exciting," he said. "It's always crowded."

That dichotomy -- trains, yes; buses, no -- is a constant annoyance to commuter-rail critics who prefer buses because they run on highways with less capital investment.

"Why do we have to subsidize snobs?" said Randal O'Toole, a senior fellow with the Cato Institute and longtime critic of rail-transit investments. Express buses running in carpool lanes, he argued, could move as many people for less.

The drop in riders is predictable in a recession, O'Toole said,

as is a rebound if the economy improves. Still, he maintains it would be smarter to invest in technologies that make cars and roads more efficient, because people now have many more destinations than during the days when trains dominated U.S. travel.

TRAX exceeded expectations when it debuted in late 1999 and went on to a long growth period. O'Toole argues that's because Utah was entering an economic boom then.

This year, TRAX ridership is off, too, though not nearly as precipitously as FrontRunner. The light-rail system averaged almost 43,000 riders on weekdays in March, down from 46,000 last May and a high of 55,000 last July.

UTA Assistant General Manager Mike Allegra agrees that the numbers are largely a reflection of the economy.

"People are just combining trips," he said, "and conserving more than they ever have."

Ridership on the existing route will get a bump in 2012, Allegra predicted, when UTA finishes the second leg, south to Utah County. Thirty percent of the likely riders projected in feasibility studies have destinations north or south of Salt Lake City.

The federal government paid 80 percent of FrontRunner's $542 million first-leg price tag, and UTA says its $12.29 million per mile compares favorably to Legacy Parkway's $12.23 million -- when considering the potential for future expansion, as simple as adding new rail cars.

As odd as that may sound in a time of shrinking ridership, Farmington Mayor Scott Harbertson said it's coming.

"If the economy turns around and building starts to pick up again, we'll start to see more use of FrontRunner," he said. Already there's evening rush-hour slowing where I-15 drops a lane in Kaysville, and Harbertson sees the eventual return of traffic jams pushing more people toward trains.

"I-15 and Legacy will fill up again," he said. "There's no doubt."

Though the mayor rarely travels to Salt Lake City, he said, residents tell him they appreciate the new array of options.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1714  
Old Posted May 11, 2009, 2:26 PM
arkhitektor arkhitektor is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Clearfield, UT
Posts: 1,767


I'm surprised that given the economy and the lack of riders, they don't cut back on service during the day. There are almost no riders during the day between the morning and evening rushes, but they still run basically empty 3-car trains back and forth every half-hour all day long. They could easily cut daytime service back to every hour like they do on Saturdays and then only run on 30 minute headways during rush hours.

Many other commuter rail systems have no daytime service at all, and it just seems wasteful that we are continuing to provide service all day when there is clearly no current demand for it.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1715  
Old Posted May 11, 2009, 2:55 PM
cololi cololi is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 690
Here is my latest experience with Frontrunner: I got on Frotnrunner on Friday around 11:00 with the intent to meet a friend in Farmington to go golfing. I had my clubs in hand. I got on at Central Station and just prior to the Woods Cross stop was questioned by an UTA police officer and told I could not have my clubs on the train, even though I allowed him to search my bag. I have a tool in my bag that I use to tighted my spikes and was told it could be a weapon. I think my three iron is a far more deadly weapon than a 6 inch long screwdriver with two prongs on the end. I was forced to get off the train at Woods Cross without any other transportation option. The best part is that the police officer watched me get on the train (I even gave him a hello as I boarded) he also got off the train with me and waited for the next train back to Central Station) I had to take a cab back to my car, put the clubs in, and drive up to Farmington.

It makes me wonder what they are going to do when the airport rail line is up and operating and people have multiple suitcases on their train. At least with my clubs everyone noticed me because how often do you see a guy carrying clubs on a train?
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1716  
Old Posted May 11, 2009, 4:53 PM
Urban_logic's Avatar
Urban_logic Urban_logic is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Sandy, UT
Posts: 360
Quote:
Originally Posted by cololi View Post
Here is my latest experience with Frontrunner: I got on Frotnrunner on Friday around 11:00 with the intent to meet a friend in Farmington to go golfing. I had my clubs in hand. I got on at Central Station and just prior to the Woods Cross stop was questioned by an UTA police officer and told I could not have my clubs on the train, even though I allowed him to search my bag. I have a tool in my bag that I use to tighted my spikes and was told it could be a weapon. I think my three iron is a far more deadly weapon than a 6 inch long screwdriver with two prongs on the end. I was forced to get off the train at Woods Cross without any other transportation option. The best part is that the police officer watched me get on the train (I even gave him a hello as I boarded) he also got off the train with me and waited for the next train back to Central Station) I had to take a cab back to my car, put the clubs in, and drive up to Farmington.

It makes me wonder what they are going to do when the airport rail line is up and operating and people have multiple suitcases on their train. At least with my clubs everyone noticed me because how often do you see a guy carrying clubs on a train?
What exactly did you say to him? I would have yelled the crap out of him for letting me board the train and then change his mind later that my clubs were a weapon. Couldn't he have at least escorted you back to Salt Lake Central? Shoot, I would have made those clubs become weapons after that! Lol
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1717  
Old Posted May 11, 2009, 6:05 PM
cololi cololi is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 690
Quote:
Originally Posted by Urban_logic View Post
What exactly did you say to him? I would have yelled the crap out of him for letting me board the train and then change his mind later that my clubs were a weapon. Couldn't he have at least escorted you back to Salt Lake Central? Shoot, I would have made those clubs become weapons after that! Lol
I had a civil conversation with him. He would not let me back on the train, I asked. he said he couldn't escort one individual back because then he couldn't address other issues that may come up.

I got his name, ID number etc. before he left. While I was waiting for my cab, I made some calls to some upper management people I know at UTA. I have a meeting with UTA, including their police chief (?) and the individual officer. Should be interesting. They already told me they would reimburse me for my cab ride.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1718  
Old Posted May 11, 2009, 6:31 PM
delts145's Avatar
delts145 delts145 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Downtown Los Angeles
Posts: 19,318
That is outrageous, Man, I would have been so steamed. I don't think I would have been able to have had a civil conversation after what he put you through Cololi. Let us know how things go at the meeting with UTA.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1719  
Old Posted May 11, 2009, 8:12 PM
DMTower's Avatar
DMTower DMTower is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Portland, OR
Posts: 811
Sounds to me like another case of douche bag cop, different mode of transportation.
Reply With Quote
     
     
  #1720  
Old Posted May 11, 2009, 8:36 PM
shakman's Avatar
shakman shakman is offline
Chairman
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: PRMD - People's Republic of Maryland
Posts: 2,667
Quote:
Originally Posted by cololi View Post
I had a civil conversation with him. He would not let me back on the train, I asked. he said he couldn't escort one individual back because then he couldn't address other issues that may come up.

I got his name, ID number etc. before he left. While I was waiting for my cab, I made some calls to some upper management people I know at UTA. I have a meeting with UTA, including their police chief (?) and the individual officer. Should be interesting. They already told me they would reimburse me for my cab ride.

That is flat out ridiculous. At least UTA Officials are willing to speak with you.
__________________
"I measure the value of life not by how much I have, instead by what I have done.

-sb
Reply With Quote
     
     
This discussion thread continues

Use the page links to the lower-right to go to the next page for additional posts
 
 
Reply

Go Back   SkyscraperPage Forum > Regional Sections > United States > Mountain West
Forum Jump


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 1:27 AM.

     
SkyscraperPage.com - Archive - Privacy Statement - Top

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.