Jay Evensen
  • Front Page
  • Opinions
  • Second Thoughts
  • Portfolio
  • Awards
  • About

Salt Lake's trolley line comes with some big promises

8/16/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Would you ride a slow-moving trolley car on a shopping trip?

Picture
Perhaps more importantly, do you believe such a car, coming by on a regular basis, could be a catalyst to economic development?

I’ll admit to being a romantic when it comes to trains. When Salt Lake Mayor Ralph Becker came to the Deseret News editorial board the other day to talk about the new trolley line under construction into the Sugar House district, my mind wandered to visions of the early 20th century, with guys in stiff collars and bowler hats running gingerly to hop onto a passing car.

I ride the light rail to work and home again every day, even though I have to change trains in the process and the whole trip takes longer than it would in a car (provided the freeways are clear). I enjoy the time to relax, read or answer emails.

I probably will ride the trolley to Sugar House occasionally, to go to lunch or do some shopping.

But I’m a skeptic when it comes to the claims that rail leads to economic development.

I haven’t seen it with light rail, despite hearing lots of bureaucrats predict it for 13 years now. And as for the trolley line — Sugar House already is a vibrant shopping area, but there are lots of spaces between there and where the line will begin, at the TRAX station on 2100 South, that aren’t so pedestrian friendly.

Becker and his staff say I’ll need to be patient, but that economic development will come to those areas, too, with walkable shops, restaurants and homes. I’ll remain a skeptic until I see it, albeit a hopeful one.

The first phase of the new trolley line will cost $55 million. Only $11 million will come from Salt Lake City, with the same coming from South Salt Lake, through which the line will go. The rest comes from the feds. Becker said nine private-sector projects already are underway in Sugar House worth about a combined $400 million, and that South Salt Lake has some of its own.

Meanwhile, look at this old map of Salt Lake City trolley lines during their heyday, probably about 100 years ago. Virtually every home in the city was no more than a block or two from a line.

Then look at this report I found from 1977, by the Utah Economic and Business Review, about why that heyday disappeared. Simply put, the automobile came along and got popular. The report concludes that transit programs in the future should avoid “Fixed operating systems which do not provide operating flexibility.” These, it said, would cost a lot of money “without meeting the service needs of the public.”

Times change, and 35-year-old conclusions can look wrong in a hurry. As I said, I’m a fan of rail. I think trolleys could add value to an already popular district.

But until I see some real rail-specific economic development pop up in other areas, I remain a skeptic of those claims.


0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    RSS Feed

    Search this site


    Like what you read here?

      Please subscribe below, and we'll let you know when there is a new opinion.

    Enter your email address:

    Delivered by FeedBurner

    Picture

    The author

    Jay Evensen is the Senior Editorial Columnist of the Deseret News. He has nearly 40 years experience as a reporter, editor and editorial writer in Oklahoma, New York City, Las Vegas and Salt Lake City. He also has been an adjunct journalism professor at Brigham Young and Weber State universities.

    Archives

    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012

    Categories

    All
    Campaign 2012
    Congress
    Crime
    Culture
    Iran
    Oil And Gas
    Poverty
    Steroids
    Taxes
    Utah
    Washington
    World Events
    World Events

    Links

    Deseret News
    Newslink
    Marianne Evensen's blog

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.