Grim story at the D-News

The Deseret News has a story about a body being found near FrontRunner tracks in Sunset:

SUNSET — The body of a woman apparently hit by a train was found near railroad tracks Thursday morning.

Just after 9 a.m., a passenger on a FrontRunner train spotted what was believed to be a body along the side of the tracks at an intersection near 2400 North.

Of dead trains and crowded cars ...

Caught the 4:27 p.m. FrontRunner home today, and we had to wait on the Centerville siding for a southbound train. But it wasn't the usual reason -- instead, it was because the 3:57 northbound train had broken down in Farmington, and all those poor folks had to wait, I guess, 30 minutes on the platform for our train to arrive so they could continue their journey northward.

The good news: Our driver told us what was going on -- that the train ahead of us had broken down and we needed to make room for the other passengers. This is progress, in my book: actually telling us why things aren't happening they way they're supposed to.

Thanks, UTA. That's a good thing.

Behind the scenes regarding UTA-university negotiations

There's an interesting Deseret News story about how UTA and Beehive State colleges and universities arrive at prices for students' transit passes. In the past, evidently, UTA negotiated yearly prices/contracts individually with each school -- which sunds great for UTA, but lousy for the schools who don't have tough negotiators.

But the really interesting tidbit was reporter Geoff Fattah's report that UTA's ridership is 25 percent students. Wow, that's a lot.


The story is packed with lots of terrific numbers and information. Here's a sampling:

UTA to ditch Pleasant View FrontRunner connection?

The Standard-Examiner has a bit of bad news concerning FrontRunner service to the Top of Utah: "UTA may cut FrontRunner runs, increase bus service in Pleasant View."

The Pleasant View line always has been the bastard child of the FR line, as the story notes:

The station was supposed to open along with the rest of the line in April 2008, but UTA couldn't maintain right of way in the area and had to share the stretch of track with Union Pacific.

Improvements that needed to be made to the shared stretch of track were delayed when railroad workers were diverted to repair tracks damaged by a landslide in Oregon.

The Pleasant View leg of FrontRunner was finally completed Sept. 29, 2008, nearly six months after the rest of the line.

Tribune news story: 'UTA looks to future transit growth'

A story at The Salt Lake Tribune today notes the UTA board is peering into the future, as best it can, in an effort to guide its planning in the years ahead.

Allegra said if the UTA and developers encourage more “transit-oriented development,” or building residences where people can walk to bus and train stops, it could fuel much of that growth in transit use. Land use plans adopted by regional planning agencies are pushing that idea more as a way to handle housing and transportation needs amid future growth.

Perlich encouraged UTA to reach out more to young people and ethnic groups as it plans its future to ensure that it meets their needs. Allegra said UTA is in good position to help handle that with plans for expanded TRAX, commuter rail, new streetcars, bus-rapid transit, express buses and traditional bus service.

Rail to Jeremy's Ranch?

The editorial board of The Salt Lake Tribune takes a wise position: Instead of adding a freeway lane up Parley's Canyon, why not work with UTA to create an express bus route or -- even better -- a rail line to Jeremy's Ranch?

"Summit County officials have said they would be open to putting a sales-tax measure on the ballot to fund UTA service. But nobody seems to be seriously considering that sensible approach to dealing with growth."