What Can We Do? Although the Court hearing is over there are still things we can do to ensure that our community and its transportation needs are best served: Read the update below and get involved stay tuned for more news Sign up on the CRT Contact List

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Hello All,
 
Here is the latest CRT update on two items:

1)  UTA's   TRAX route study ( FEIS , Final Environmental Impact Statement ) for Draper and, 

2)  Thank you to all who contributed with generous donations to pay off the final legal fees for the referendum appeal.  The remaining balance has now been satisfied. 
    
First, the FEIS  is finished and has been approved and signed by the FTA (Federal Transportation Association)!  It is now up to you to give your public comment on their final draft for the TRAX route through Draper City. The dealine to submit comments is August 21, 2010. Send comments to Aaron Mentzer , UTA representative, at amentzer@rideuta.com . The FEIS is available to read on UTA's Web site at http://www.rideuta.com/mediaRoom/projects/draperLR/publications.aspx . Hard copies of the FEIS are also available for public review at the following locations:

Sandy Library, 10100 South Petunia Way, Sandy, Utah
Draper Library, 1136 East Pioneer Road, Draper, Utah
UTA Meadowbrook Office, 3600 South 700 West, Salt Lake City, Utah
UTA FrontLines Headquarters , 669 West 200 South, Salt Lake City, Utah
    
 
 
NEW INFO CONCERNING THE DRAPER TRAX "PARK & RIDE" STATION AND PARKING:     Draper City and UTA are planning to create two areas to accommodate the parking for the TRAX "park & ride" station: one is still on 124th South, the other is on 123rd South. Draper City is suggesting the parking for the Library and Draper Park (on 124 th South) be used to accommodate TRAX parking.  
 
We spoke with Aaron Mentzer , UTA representative ( 801-236-4783 ), who has informed us that UTA  Draper City and UTA originally planned to locate the entire "park & ride" station off 123 rd south (with access off 123rd), north of IFA , where there is already a lot of traffic and commercial, but because of IFA's national historic classification they can not use any of IFA's property, so it was decided not to locate the "park & ride" there. They discussed and included in the DEIS (Draft EIS ) locating the entire parking for the "park & ride" on 124th south west of the library and Draper Park.
 
However, because of the negative response by residence, this change was decided against and they are reconfiguring the "park & ride" area in two locations, one off 123rd south (approximately 400 parking spaces ) north of IFA and the second off of 124 (the city is suggesting to share the parking of the Library and Draper Park for TRAX parking.) Mr. Mentzer said they will need about 200 parking spaces there.
 
CRT feels funneling TRAX "park & ride" traffic onto 124th South, the historic town center road, is inappropriate and may create crime and safety issues at Draper Park and the Library. CRT also feels locating the TRAX parking on 124th South will dramatically change the historic rural feel of the road and area. Further, it will seriously impact traffic at the 13th East round-a-bout and the 9th East and 124th South intersection as TRAX riders try to find parking on 124th South. CRT feels it would be best to keep the ?park & ride' traffic on 123 rd South where intense commercial and traffic are already located.
 
Another option that has been put forth by residents is to locate the TRAX station and parking at 118 th South and 7th East where it will be close to the Juan Diego High School, the new Draper hospital and to more high density residential areas.
 
You can make your voice heard on Draper City's intent to share the parking at the Library and Draper Park on 124 th South for TRAX parking by emailing  UTA representative, Aaron Mentzer , at:
(801) 236-4783 or amentzer@rideuta.com . If you have other suggestions for the "park & ride" station and parking, please let us and UTA know.
 
Thank you,
 
Citizens for Responsible Transportation, CRT

 

 

GENERAL FACTS ABOUT TRAX

• Transit Use Has DROPPED from 3% in 2000 to 2.3% in 2005! (click here to read a great editorial by a BYU professor on TRAX benefits (1/19/2007) - or lack there of... and here to read the 2005 census information)
• From Goldwater institute report Jan 2004 by John Semmens re: Phoenix transportation studies (click to read the whole article)
  • "Use of urban public transportation systems has been in decline since the end of World War II, when public transit provided 50 percent of urban travel. Last year, only three percent of urban travel in America was provided by public transit. This decline has occurred despite prodigious government efforts to prevent it. Governments now spend 30 to 40 times as much on public transit as for roadways. But evidence suggests that transit is not the most effective use of public transportation dollars."
  • "in no city in America does light rail transit account for much more than one percent of urban person-miles of travel."
  • "The average cost of light rail per passenger-mile is ... almost double the cost of bus transit, and five times the cost of automobile transportation per vehicle-mile. On average, taxpayers pay nearly 90 percent of the cost of light rail passenger travel, considerably more than for all other transit modes. Worst of all, light rail would do almost nothing to relieve traffic congestion. Because 80 percent of new light rail passengers in Maricopa County would be former bus passengers, light rail would remove less than one car in 1,000 from traffic."
• The Right Of Way route selection is not the "Locally Preferred Alternative" as presented by Draper City and UTA - it is the "UTA Preferred Alternative"
• The Porter Rockwell Trail will no longer be viable for equestrian use.
• Create increased traffic, congestion, and danger to pedestrians along 11400 south, 12300 South, Pioneer Rd, and 1300 East at Draper Park
• Disturb the environment, wildlife, and residential areas with noise from trains and traffic controls, fences and high walls, and unsightly electrical wires.
• travel at 50 to 60 miles per hour through our neighborhoods
• Diminish adjacent property values within 1/4 mile. (click here)
• increase the theft and crime rates in our neighborhoods. (click here)
• There was a recent Armed Robbery in Broad Daylight! But UTA says it's not a problem. (click here)
• UTA inflates the figures and statistics regarding TRAX successes (click here)
• From Salt Lake Trib Article 12/2/2006 (click here)
  • Despite transit (light rail) funding increasing seven-fold since the 1960s, the percentage of people using it has fallen nationwide by 63 percent
  Americans use transit for only 1.5 percent of their trips
  • light-rail transit, does not relieve congestion.