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Bring back the trolleys! The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) is in the process of completing a study for a new transit corridor linking downtown and Weber State University. This study includes three alternative East-West alignments, 25th Street, 30th Street, and 36th Street. This is an opportunity to revitalize the entire Ogden community by creating meaningful linkages from downtown to the east bench, while interconnecting the Trolley District. In order to achieve this, the streetcar must engage the Trolley District, by travelling a portion of 24th, 25th, or 26th streets (25th Street Alignment) on its route between the North-West Downtown, and the South-East Weber State University.
Please take a moment to help us tell UTA and the project Stakeholders that you support our efforts to realize a 25th street alignment of the streetcar.
Click here to send an email to the Stakeholders.
Click here to sign our petition.
Continue to read below for more information regarding the benefit of a 25th Street Streetcar alignment:
The 25th Street Streetcar meets the purpose and needs of the WSU-Downtown Transit corridor study, provides the greatest economic development potential, creates multi-modal solutions for transportation along Harrison Boulevard, has historic precedent, and effectively combines optimal transit with maximum ridership potential ensuring that investment in this corridor will yield the greatest possible social and economic value for the entire community:
- Purpose and Need: The 25th Street alignment meets the purpose of the Transit Corridor Study, providing a quick and efficient means of public transportation between downtown and Weber State University; while also meeting the need of the corridor, to provide viable mass transit for the existing population base, and creating economic re-development in the heart of Ogden. The 30th and 36th Street alignments may meet the Purpose, but they fall short on meeting the Need.
- Economic Development: A Streetcar integration with the Trolley District re-connects the downtown with its original customer/population base. Revitalization of the Trolley District provides the rooftops needed to support a vibrant downtown! People who live in close proximity to the downtown are more likely to support these commercial activities, as opposed to periphery suburban dwellers who are more likely to drive to the nearest mall rather than our unique urban center. The central Trolley District has already been identified by the city as the next area of focus for redevelopment, including a possible RDA, an Enterprise Area, and CHC. The economic development opportunity exists in both large parcels and individual lots of currently vacant, redevelop-able land including the central Rite-Aid/Wheelwright block. In contrast 30th or 36th street are largely already commercial in nature, and the type of commercial that exists consists mostly of auto-oriented car dealerships and strip malls. These routes miss out on connecting to a major urban population base to support the downtown, while spreading a smaller ridership across a larger commercial area decreasing the economic impact generated by streetcar ridership to businesses.
- Transportation: The 25th street alignment and integration of mass transit along Harrison Boulevard presents an opportunity to provide more sustainable, long-term, and equitable transportation along this corridor. The integration of a streetcar along Harrison can move hundreds if not thousands more individuals than another two lanes of highway ever could. The ability of the Streetcar to absorb local traffic actually increases the efficiency of the roadway for through-traffic. Because Harrison is an already built-out and populated corridor it is unrealistic to plan to continually widen it, without serious disruption of the existing community fabric, increased noise, and harmful levels of pollution. A barrier of asphalt separating downtown from the East-Bench and Mountains and their associated recreational opportunities would be detrimental to Ogden’s identity as an outdoor recreation city. We must embrace this opportunity to plan for a viable, multi-modal, and vibrant Harrison Corridor by integrating the Streetcar into the right-of-way.
- Historic Precedent: As a national historic district, the Trolley District was originally developed and defined by a series of streetcars connecting the area to the downtown. A streetcar revival sets the stage for more focused historic preservation efforts while also brining visitors to appreciate the history of the community.
- Ridership: The 25th street alignment follows the alignment of the current 603 Bus route, through one of the most densely populated areas in all of Weber County. This is easily the most ridden public transit route in the entire Ogden system. It is critical that the proposed transit corridor realize as much ridership as possible to help pay for this and future public transit investment in the community. Combining an existing ridership base, with additional ridership from Front-Runner to the University and back, will undoubtedly be the most successful public transportation solution (not to mention the wisest use of our tax dollars).
Unfortunately this study seems to have gotten de-railed! Help us get things back on-track by contacting UTA, UDOT, and the project Stakeholders today! Also, Click here to read and sign our petition.
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Make it happen - contact UTA and UDOT today and let them know how you feel:
UTA, WSU-Downtown Corridor Study
UDOT
Stakeholder Committee
Wilbur-Smith Associates |
