I happened to drive near the Sandy Civic Center TRAX stop today and discovered a TOD (Transit Oriented Development) that Sandy City has underway or did have underway. I thought you might enjoy taking a look.
This TOD is located adjacent to the TRAX station in Sandy.
Foundations are in the ground and ready for Phase II.
The TOD has many amenities for the residents.
Centerville's South Main Street Corridor Plan has as one of it's objectives, "9.E. Establish future transit stops near the Mixed-use Districts to create a transit-oriented development. Establish pedestrian links to and from any transit stops." I have thought a great deal about such developments. The ESR mentions Portland, Oregon as an example of a transit system that contributed to new transit oriented developments. I don't have any first hand experience with Portland, but we do have 10 years of TRAX experience to examine. "... some of the claims by TRAX proponents have not come true, either. The predictions that TRAX stations would spur transit-oriented developments and businesses have never quite taken hold, despite attempts" ('10 years of TRAX - only the beginning,' Deseret News Article, 12/6/09).
What do you think? Should we spend a half a billion dollars of our money and see if we can attract TOD's to Centerville's Main Street?
Where on main street in centerville would these TOD's come to? It's pretty built out.
ReplyDeleteHow foolish to waste money on such a project during a time when so many are already cutting budgets trying to survive. If someone wants to take mass transit to bountiful's main street, they can take the bus.
Thanks for the pictures. I don't want anything close to this. The best help we can provide is to get our comments into UTA quick and let them know we don't support the transit-oriented developments that come with rail. YUCK! Now let me get this right, Our John Doe taxes paid the dreamers who came up with this nightmare? Can we ask for a refund?
ReplyDeleteI lived in Portland for five years and i loved the streetcar. It really is a lot different than trax in the way it operates. For example the rail is embedded right in the street you drive right on it. It made life better and more convenient in my opinion. Also the Tod on west temple near the 39th south trax stop is a nice place now that they are finishing work it had been about halfway completed due to the economy.
ReplyDeleteI would like to know how life is better and more convenient because of rail? We will actually have less stops than the bus, so it will be less convenient. How is rail more convenient than our bus system now? The buses can get to more places than a permanant rail system that is fixed. We are not Portland, nor do we want to be. Rail attracts transit-oriented developments which do not belong on our mainstreet. We are different than Portland. Big projects with density belong west where there is commercial properties. They would fit in fine there and surely make those who live around Main Street happier. Some of us think it would be CONVENIENT and BETTER if rail stayed in Portland. The rail system there is not in a town like ours and doesn't belong here. I am not against rail for other projects merit they are worthy of it. This project is too costly vs need. Remember the saying our grandmothers used to tell us "USE IT UP, WEAR IT OUT, OR GO WITH OUT". Let's use what we have now and enhance it when we have the need and save money. Thank you for letting me comment. I love Centerville.
ReplyDeleteFor an example of how the rail has "helped" a community, just look at what happened to downtown salt lake. The downtown area still hasn't recovered since the rail was started over a decade ago. Along the stretch in Centerville, the impact to business owners and residents will be significant. The easement that will have to take place in order for the road to be widened to fit the rail and traffic and sidewalks will end up on many people's doorsteps and several buildings will have to be torn down. Not to mention the danger to children who cross for school in at least 4 places. With the low ridership on the current UTA bus system it is also unwarranted. The problem I see with the low ridership has to do with the inability to get east and west to or from the mainstreet bus system to conduct business or go home. This problem will still exist. If this project goes through, the hometown feeling of Centerville as we know it will cease to exist.
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