Salt Lake Transit News Thread

[CountyLemonade]

Originally Posted by AllOutOfBubbleGum

You just summed up why I turned down buying a house close to 5600 west (by close I mean with in 100 feet). I knew they would be bringing Trax down 5600 eventually and did not want to be in a situation were no one wanted to buy my house with a trax stop 100 feet away. I've lived next to Light rail lines in Europe and do not recommend it. Those things rumble quite a bit, but I will admit, it was nice always having public transportation right there.

I lived literally right next to a Red Line station in the city for a few months (my bedroom window directly overlooked the platform). The noise was totally bearable and marginally louder than the cars that were going by at 40 mph. It wasn't perfect, but many European cities have their light rail running down grassy medians which mitigates the rumbling quite a bit.

And besides, we live in a day and age in this city where plenty of people would love the privilege of living that close to a Trax station. When I was in that situation it was the best thing in the world, something I would recommend to everyone.

[AllOutOfBubbleGum]

Originally Posted by CountyLemonade

I lived literally right next to a Red Line station in the city for a few months (my bedroom window directly overlooked the platform). The noise was totally bearable and marginally louder than the cars that were going by at 40 mph. It wasn't perfect, but many European cities have their light rail running down grassy medians which mitigates the rumbling quite a bit.

And besides, we live in a day and age in this city where plenty of people would love the privilege of living that close to a Trax station. When I was in that situation it was the best thing in the world, something I would recommend to everyone.

I'm glad others can live near Trax. I'm not a heavy sleeper so I wake up very easy. When I lived downtown my house would rumble and shake when a big semi truck would come down the street. I never slept good in that house.

[ajiuO]

I'm a horribly light sleeper but actually find the sounds of traffic, trains, and other city noises comforting and soothing.. I love the sound of a freight train passing by in the middle of the night.. There are not nearly as many freight trains passing by as there were in the 80s and even 90s.

I wouldn't want to be right next to the train tracks but 1 to 2 blocks away is perfect!! I also lived very close to the east side of the airport for a number of years.. And became quite fond of the sound of airplanes.. Particularly the propeller variety!!

[Future Mayor]

While it's a benefit that wouldn't come about for many many years, buying a house within 100' of a Trax Station could be a very lucrative investment down the road. A developer could pay good money for the property as part of a larger TOD project. However if your sleep where to suffer for the 20 years before that happens, that might not be worth it.

[H4vok]

Not a whole lot of information but...

SLC Mayor's Office Twitter Feed

Plans to expand the S line in Sugar House are in the works! The S line isn't only a public...http://instagram.com/p/nJgxNYJeMb/

[Comrade]

Originally Posted by ajiuO

I'm a horribly light sleeper but actually find the sounds of traffic, trains, and other city noises comforting and soothing.. I love the sound of a freight train passing by in the middle of the night.. There are not nearly as many freight trains passing by as there were in the 80s and even 90s.

I wouldn't want to be right next to the train tracks but 1 to 2 blocks away is perfect!! I also lived very close to the east side of the airport for a number of years.. And became quite fond of the sound of airplanes.. Particularly the propeller variety!!

Me too. I hear the train horns all the time and it is weirdly soothing. I'm also not far from I-80, so, I hear the echoing of the traffic at night. Oddly, I also kinda enjoy the sound of sirens and choppers.

[AllOutOfBubbleGum]

Originally Posted by Comrade

Me too. I hear the train horns all the time and it is weirdly soothing. I'm also not far from I-80, so, I hear the echoing of the traffic at night. Oddly, I also kinda enjoy the sound of sirens and choppers.

Unless I'm in a comma a train would end my night. I realize that growing up in the country may have spoiled my silent nights. One noise I miss living in cities are the crickets. I just don't hear those things in the Salt Lake Valley. Nor did I hear them in Provo, I wonder??????

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aQ6vg3JB2U

[Stenar]

Originally Posted by AllOutOfBubbleGum

Unless I'm in a comma a train would end my night. I realize that growing up in the country may have spoiled my silent nights. One noise I miss living in cities are the crickets. I just don't hear those things in the Salt Lake Valley. Nor did I hear them in Provo, I wonder??????

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aQ6vg3JB2U

We always heard crickets when we lived in Sugar House. We even had one get inside and make an awful racket as it's sounds were echoing around the house.

[Future Mayor]

Originally Posted by AllOutOfBubbleGum

Unless I'm in a comma a train would end my night. I realize that growing up in the country may have spoiled my silent nights. One noise I miss living in cities are the crickets. I just don't hear those things in the Salt Lake Valley. Nor did I hear them in Provo, I wonder??????

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aQ6vg3JB2U

I hear crickets every night when I sleep with my window open in the summer, and I'm only one block from 700 E and one block from 1300 S. That's what's so cool about it, I hear 7th E traffic noise as well as crickets.

[brankrom]

It's funny I live in SLC and I hear crickets all the time, but the thing that gets me is that in the 15 years I've lived in Utah I've never SEEN a cricket and I'm an avid gardener. I guess the one exception is I ran into a swarm of "mormon crickets" out by Vernon one year, but those aren't really crickets. I've seen tons of grasshoppers and those new European "boxelder" bugs but never a cricket.

[AllOutOfBubbleGum]

Box elder bugs are of the devil and box elder trees are satins portal. It's funny I never had to worry about Mormon crickets while farming. But grasshoppers, box elder bugs and spiders all the time. I lived in an old pioneer home for about seven years and the spiders chased the bugs into our house and found their way into my bed, shower, sink, kitchen and dirty close basket ... Those bastards.

[utenation]

Originally Posted by brankrom

It's funny I live in SLC and I hear crickets all the time, but the thing that gets me is that in the 15 years I've lived in Utah I've never SEEN a cricket and I'm an avid gardener. I guess the one exception is I ran into a swarm of "mormon crickets" out by Vernon one year, but those aren't really crickets. I've seen tons of grasshoppers and those new European "boxelder" bugs but never a cricket.

It's an all out symphony in the summer at my house. Lots of trees(groves), dense greenery and a creek near the back.. Perfect spots for critters..

It's so loud that if you don't like the tone, it will keep you up. I find it very soothing..

[jedikermit]

Originally Posted by AllOutOfBubbleGum

Box elder bugs are of the devil and box elder trees are satins portal.

When we lived in the avenues, boxelder bugs were crazy. It was like a horror movie. Don't know if it was just where we lived on F Street, or if it's a frequent problem up there. Living out where we do now (Kearns. Sigh.) it's a blessed day when we see one. We save it and cherish it and name it and hope against hope that it will make little boxelder babies.

Except we don't quite know how that all works, so it dies alone.

Like all of us.

[goldcntry]

Jedi, you need to come down 5400 just a little bit... I've got all the box elder blasted bugs you could ever hope for! I think that Taylorsville must've signed a box elder bug sanctuary treaty or something...

We're actually blessed to have one of the canals on the backside of our lot: ducks, frogs, crickets galore!

[jedikermit]

^^^^

Maybe they like being closer to Cafe Rio?

I know I do.

[JMK]

I have used Lyft a couple times since launch, it's been a much better experience than a cab. Much quicker to request a lyft than calling the cab service and being hung up on or waiting for over an hour for the cab to arrive. Plus you get to rate the driver after your ride. But all drivers I have ridden with have been much more pleasant and communicative than any cab driver I have ridden with.

I suppose this warning makes sense, however I can see this is just the beginning of crackdowns on the service,

City Warns Lyft Drivers: You're Violating City Code

KUER By Whittney Evans

http://kuer.org/post/city-warns-lyft...ting-city-code

Salt Lake City is issuing warning citations to anyone offering a car-ride service without a business license—and yes that means the drivers of the pink mustachioed cars that recently hit Salt Lake City streets.

San Francisco-based Lyft is a booking service that connects ride-seekers to local drivers through a smart-phone app. The drivers use their own vehicles, which can be identified by a large pink mustache on the grill. The company launched its program in Salt Lake City about a week ago.

While it’s become fairly popular nationwide as an inexpensive taxi-alternative, city governments are wrestling with how the model fits into existing ground transportation rules and regulations.

Art Raymond, a spokesman for Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker says drivers are operating illegally.

“So we’re letting these individuals know they’re out of compliance, what they need to do to come into compliance and of course they have a period of time to respond to that,” Raymond says. “And if they continue operating after they’ve been issued a warning they’ll receive a citation.

Raymond says Lyft has not responded to city’s requests for a meeting. A spokesperson for the company told KUER, the peer-to-peer business model doesn’t fall under existing regulations for taxis and for-hire vehicles.

A Lyft driver received a warning citation last week at a Salt Lake City Airport terminal for operating without proper insurance, a business license and other items required by the city and the Transportation Security Administration. Raymond says city officials and council members would consider changes to existing laws.

“We’re not by any means declaring that there is no way for us to accommodate this new business, but those changes take time,” Raymond says. “Certainly, the first most essential step is a conversation with this new company to find out what their goals are for Salt Lake City and to figure out a solution.”

The issue has caused consternation in other cities like Houston and New Orleans. Most recently Kansas City Mayor Sly James took to Twitter to complain about the company’s unannounced arrival in his city.

[TedBell]

Originally Posted by JMK

I have used Lyft a couple times since launch, it's been a much better experience than a cab. Much quicker to request a lyft than calling the cab service and being hung up on or waiting for over an hour for the cab to arrive. Plus you get to rate the driver after your ride. But all drivers I have ridden with have been much more pleasant and communicative than any cab driver I have ridden with.

I suppose this warning makes sense, however I can see this is just the beginning of crackdowns on the service,

Why don't they just remove the pink mustaches? Would it be so difficult to reply to a request for a ride by saying "I'll pick you up in the red Ford Taurus"?

[JMK]

Originally Posted by TedBell

Why don't they just remove the pink mustaches? Would it be so difficult to reply to a request for a ride by saying "I'll pick you up in the red Ford Taurus"?

That would technically work,
The app sends a message that the driver is pulling up. And if they arrive and don't know where the person is, they will call. It also shows the location of the driver on gps

Also, when requesting a lyft, it shows a picture of the driver and their vehicle

[ryerop]

Another article about the downtown streetcar, nothing new but at least it is still getting some attention to keep it in some kind of motion in the right way
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politic...-lake.html.csp

[brankrom]

Originally Posted by ryerop

Another article about the downtown streetcar, nothing new but at least it is still getting some attention to keep it in some kind of motion in the right way
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/politic...-lake.html.csp

More transit trolls bitching about SLC in the comments and they likely don't even live in SLC.

I can see Luke Garrot's point about redundant service and 200 S being 2 blocks from 400 S. but there's a lot of TOD potential along 200 S.

I would like to see some streetcar love for Glendale and other west side residents. The 900 S Corridor would be a great option from 900 S & 900 W to 900 S & 900 E.

There's an interesting RFQ for adding a pedestrian walkway and redevelopment right by the 900 S Trax stop.

http://www.slcrda.com/rfps/pdfs/JeffersonWalkway.pdf