Salt Lake City | Transit and Airport Developments

[delts145]

Thanks so much S.P., SLCDude and other local forumers for your tremendous and continuing photo updates on the Metro's many transportation projects. I wish we had you guys down at the southern end of the Wasatch Front. There's so much going on with the different major highway/freeway/commuter rail projects that it's astounding. The whole northern sector of Utah Valley seems inudated by major transportation infrastructure build-up.

[s.p.hansen]

When it gets warmer, I plan on venturing south and getting some FrontRunner construction pictures.

[delts145]

Good to hear. Speaking of new projects, I'm loving the new diamond interchange at American Fork and the new Pioneer Parkway. I look for excuses to go that way. Have you tried them out yet S.P.? I can't wait for FrontRunner to make it to Downtown Provo. What an awesome amount of positive growth that will create!

[delts145]

Central Metro

Taylorsville projects aimed at easing east-west congestion

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/neighbo...ffic.html.csp#

Taylorsville, like other cities in the west Salt Lake Valley, has long suffered from its share of traffic congestion, particularly along east-west streets.

Thursday evening , residents had a chance to express views about one project that highway engineers hope will improve traffic flow along one of those corridors — the $36 million widening from five to seven lanes along 5400 South between Bangerter and 4800 West.

The project is one of several in a long list of west valley improvements that have been constructed in recent years or are in the planning stages...



.

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by delts145

Central Metro

Taylorsville projects aimed at easing east-west congestion

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/neighbo...ffic.html.csp#

Taylorsville, like other cities in the west Salt Lake Valley, has long suffered from its share of traffic congestion, particularly along east-west streets.

Thursday evening , residents had a chance to express views about one project that highway engineers hope will improve traffic flow along one of those corridors — the $36 million widening from five to seven lanes along 5400 South between Bangerter and 4800 West.

The project is one of several in a long list of west valley improvements that have been constructed in recent years or are in the planning stages...



.

Yikes... We had this on a major suburban Atlanta road for decades. It was was horrible, confusing to out of towners, increased accidents (and near accidents).

We eventually did the inevitable and put in a median, widened the road, put in advanced traffic traffic signal system connected to fiber optic lines, and got rid of those reversible lanes. Everyone loves the new road and traffic congestion is down going both ways, despite the rush-hour lanes being the same number they were before.

[s.p.hansen]

Originally Posted by delts145

Good to hear. Speaking of new projects, I'm loving the new diamond interchange at American Fork and the new Pioneer Parkway. I look for excuses to go that way. Have you tried them out yet S.P.? I can't wait for FrontRunner to make it to Downtown Provo. What an awesome amount of positive growth that will create!

I have yet to try it out delts. Every time I go down to Utah County to visit relatives my mom is always driving and she doesn't have the same enthusiasm that I do for infrastructure .

Give it about a month and I'm going to do some serious exploring down in your neck of the woods.

Hopefully I'll be able to get lots of pictures!


February TRAX Viaduct Update

1. Geofoam is being placed on both sides of the bridge.

2. Retraining walls are being constructed to cover and retain the Geofoam.

3. The work on City Creek appears to have concluded as it is now fully sealed in its concrete conduit.

4. Concrete deck pours are taking place.

[northbay]

are those white blocks geofoam? what is that for?

[MSP]

It's basically lightweight fill. It works very well in certain situations.
http://www.geofoam.com/default.asp

[s.p.hansen]

Originally Posted by northbay

are those white blocks geofoam? what is that for?

We are really into Geofoam in Utah. The major overhaul of I-15 in the late 90's introduced us to the concept and UTA and UDOT have been using it on ramps ever since then.

The biggest advantage is that Geofoam does not settle like soil fills.

• Video Link

You would think this video is from the late 80's ha ha ha.

• Video Link

[northbay]

very interesting, thanks!

[delts145]

Originally Posted by s.p.hansen

When it gets warmer, I plan on venturing south and getting some FrontRunner construction pictures.

Another one you'll want to check out S.P. will be the new Timpanogos Parkway. It will run from Thanksgiving Point east through Lehi and Highland. You'll also be able to take it from Highland, as it turns south and travels past Cedar Hills, through American Fork, past State Street and meets up again with I-15 in Pleasant Grove. Definitely worth traveling for a look see, as the North Lehi portion is quite unique as highways go, and of course the scenery is spectacular.

[s.p.hansen]

Originally Posted by delts145

Another one you'll want to check out S.P. will be the new Timpanogos Parkway. It will run from Thanksgiving Point east through Lehi and Highland. You'll also be able to take it from Highland, as it turns south and travels past Cedar Hills, through American Fork, past State Street and meets up again with I-15 in Pleasant Grove. Definitely worth traveling for a look see, as the North Lehi portion is quite unique as highways go, and of course the scenery is spectacular.

Alright, that is now officially on my to do list! I remember when the Micron Building was in the middle of nowhere, and now it's being surrounded by growth. I really need to hit up Timpanogos Cave soon too.


Airport TRAX Line update:

February TRAX Viaduct Update








TRAX right of way cut into the road.



New sidewalks are being poured that are much wider and set away from the street. Also, though not visible in the pictures, there are new nice looking black street lights and stop lights.

[Jasonhouse]

How in the heck is the train going to maintain contact with the overhead catenary wire around this curve?

[Nexis4Jersey]

Originally Posted by Jasonhouse

How in the heck is the train going to maintain contact with the overhead catenary wire around this curve?

Whats wrong with the curve?

[J. Will]

Toronto's streetcar lines have lots of curves like that. I don't see how it's a problem.

[Nexis4Jersey]

Here's a video of our light rail taking a similar curve to that one pictured...

• Video Link

[ardecila]

Originally Posted by Jasonhouse

How in the heck is the train going to maintain contact with the overhead catenary wire around this curve?

The pantograph has enough width to maintain contact with the wire, even if the wire shifts relative to the centerline of the vehicle.

When the vehicles are designed, the pantograph is sized wide enough to accommodate the smallest-radius curve on the line.

[Jasonhouse]

Nevermind, I see now on a bigger monitor that there's a bit of a perspective trick in the pic. The top wire blends with the bottom wire on the righthand track to make it seem like there is an abrupt shift in the turning of the wire, not the gradual turn it actually is.

[SnyderBock]

Originally Posted by northbay

are those white blocks geofoam? what is that for?

Originally Posted by MSP

It's basically lightweight fill. It works very well in certain situations.
http://www.geofoam.com/default.asp

Originally Posted by s.p.hansen

We are really into Geofoam in Utah. The major overhaul of I-15 in the late 90's introduced us to the concept and UTA and UDOT have been using it on ramps ever since then.

The biggest advantage is that Geofoam does not settle like soil fills.

You would think this video is from the late 80's ha ha ha.

That's interesting! I read recently that the issue is, the weight and heavy vibrations from trains on traditional fill ramps, causes additional settling over time. This can lead to expensive and disruptive repair work to the tracks at bridges.

Denver is currently tackling this issue from another angle. RTD-Denver is using 10 foot plastic railroad ties on bridge ramps, instead of the 8 foot concrete ties on it's West Corridor LRT line (opens summer 2013). It is claimed that these plastic ties will better dampen vibrations and their wider length will better disperse the weight across a larger area, resulting in less settling.

What would be very interesting, is to see follow up reports, on both the Utah tactic and the Denver tactic, to see which method has better results over the next decade.

[s.p.hansen]

Originally Posted by SnyderBock

That's interesting! I read recently that the issue is, the weight and heavy vibrations from trains on traditional fill ramps, causes additional settling over time. This can lead to expensive and disruptive repair work to the tracks at bridges.

Denver is currently tackling this issue from another angle. RTD-Denver is using 10 foot plastic railroad ties on bridge ramps, instead of the 8 foot concrete ties on it's West Corridor LRT line (opens summer 2013). It is claimed that these plastic ties will better dampen vibrations and their wider length will better disperse the weight across a larger area, resulting in less settling.

What would be very interesting, is to see follow up reports, on both the Utah tactic and the Denver tactic, to see which method has better results over the next decade.

That seems like a very practical solution. I love how innovative the Mountain West is with these kinds of Projects.

One of the big advantages to Geofoam is that it puts so little weight on the pipes below it that they usually don't have to be moved or retrofitted. Though that isn't the case with this new viaduct where they had to rebuild and retrofit a giant pipe underneath it that carries City Creek out to the Jordan River.


March Viaduct Update

There was a lot of progress on the West side and very little progress on the East side.





























Old train tracks that have been removed from old concrete as part of an excavation of the road.