UTA refuses atheist organization's ads

The American Humanist Association posted notice on its website that UTA has refused to carry ads by the United Coalition of Reason.

The proposed advertisement, which was submitted to UTA, included the text: “Don’t believe in God? You are not alone.” UTA claimed that the advertisement did not meet its advertising policy. “Consistent with our policy,” UTA told UnitedCoR, “we don’t allow message ads from non-governmental organizations.”

UTA: Information on handicap access to new TRAX trains

As I ride FrontRunner, buses and TRAX each day, I notice a lot of people who use wheelchairs, walkers and the like accessing public transit. UTA just posted a page explaining the improved handicap access to its newest TRAX trains here.

Tribune: '10600 South to close this weekend'

From The Salt Lake Tribune:

A section of busy 10600 South in Sandy will be closed this weekend as Utah Transit Authority construction crews work on the future Draper TRAX line.

FOX13: UTA tests TRAX safety measures along Mid-Jordan line

At FOX13, there's a story about UTA testing the newly modified safety measures on the Mid-Jordan TRAX line. Read it here.

 

WEST JORDAN, Utah — Test TRAX trains were on the new Mid-Jordan line again Tuesday, four weeks after 15-year-old Shariah Casper was killed by a train in West Jordan.

Watch the video here:
 

'Dangerous West Side Improvements' -- Letter to Salt Lake City Weekly

An SLC Weekly reader says during the North Temple viaduct project, she's seen adults "climbing over" trains to get to and from downtown to work and shop.

Almost every day when school was in session, the students from West High had to wait up to 45 minutes for a Union Pacific train on 300 North that had their only path home blocked, or they could chance climbing over it. When U.P. offered to split the bill with the city to build an overhead walkway, our city couldn’t afford it. Countless times, on my way to get to TRAX, or downtown to work, I’ve been late. Although I consider my self too clumsy to attempt it, I’ve seen many adults climbing over trains on 600 West. 600 West is the only way in and out of our neighborhood to get to public transportation, to get to our jobs. There aren’t even any sidewalks for a block in this urban neighborhood.

Tribune headline: 'Utah ex-official alleges retribution behind layoff'

At The Salt Lake Tribune, there's a story quoting a former state official who says he was fired for not helping to develop a FrontRunner station -- and associated building and infrastructure -- at an important archaeological site in Draper.

Another former state official says he was laid off — more than two years ago — for getting in the way of plans to develop an ancient Indian village archaeological site for a Draper commuter rail station.

New TRAX trains in service July 7, etc.

RailwayAge reports that,

Some TRAX passengers in Salt Lake City and vicinity will begin riding Siemens S70 light rail transit cars Thursday, July 7, as the cars begin entering revenue service. The S70s will enter limited service on direct trains that operate from Fashion Place Station (6400 South) in Murray to the University of Utah Medical Center Station on weekdays. The new trains will be featured on 10 northbound and 10 southbound trips each day.

The Mid-Jordan and West Valley TRAX lines are scheduled to open Aug. 7 and will operate exclusively with the new vehicles.

Those of us who frequently ride the downtown TRAX lines will find interesting:

UTA notes the S70 vehicles are low-floor cars that allow riders to board straight from the platform without climbing stairs.

I'm just curious as to whether the new trains work with existing platforms at established stations. I'm guessing they do, but maybe not.

And at The Salt Lake Tribune: "TRAX replacing broken electronic sign system"

When electronic signs at TRAX stations were new, they displayed when the next trains would arrive. But they quit working, and have been little more than digital clocks amid such problems as not being able to obtain replacement parts.

"The old signs had reached the end of their life cycle. We couldn’t get replacement parts. Support was not available. Some of the [companies] that built the original system had gone out of business," said UTA spokesman Gerry Carpenter.

He said UTA found that because of such problems, the old signs would not be compatible with new signs it is installing on the new Mid-Jordan and West Valley City lines (scheduled to open on Aug. 7) and other extensions that are under construction to Draper and Salt Lake City International Airport.

So UTA decided to install a new sign system. It has removed the old signs on the existing Sandy and University of Utah lines.

Carpenter said new signs will be installed at the older stations over the next several months. Transfer and high-traffic stations will receive them first, and they will be added at other stations as crews and resources are available, he said.

The Deseret News reports on a new UTA board member: Troy Walker, a Draper city councilman.

And a press release notes that:

Lawson Products, Inc., an industrial distributor of more than 300,000 maintenance and repair solutions, was awarded a three-year contract to supply all of the Utah Transit Authority's (UTA) fastener needs. As per the agreement, Lawson Products will provide a minimum of 2,500 different fastener products including bolts, hex head cap screws, miniature fasteners, nuts, screws, socket products and washers to the multi-modal transportation leader that will be used for ongoing train track, rail car and bus maintenance.

Finally, at KCPW: "Salt Lake-Park City Bus Route Slated for October Launch"