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Show Page 6 THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Volume VI, Issue I April 15, 2002 PLAN cont. from page 1 densely populated areas. Light Rail extensions or spurs to Draper; to Midvale, West Jordan and South Jordan; to West Valley City; to the international airport; and to the University Medical Center, for a total of 24 new miles of light rail service. Construction of a 97-mile long commuter rail line from Ogden to Payson. Expansion of intermodal centers in Ogden and Salt Lake City. Locating transit hubs, including park and ride lots, along the Wasatch Front. Further enhancements to UTA Rideshare and Van Pool programs. Intelligent Transportation Systems The Plan proposes to improve efficiency and safety of travel through the use of modern technologies, including: Highway Construction and Improvements Highway improvements were identified through collaboration with local and state planners and engineers, and with the involvement of citizens of the region. The Long Range Plan utilizes WFRC’s sophisticated travel demand forecasting models to identify where highway improvements are needed. The Plan includes: Construction of approximately 123 miles of new roadways. Widening of 263 miles of existing streets and highways. Purchasing rights-of-way for 50 miles of roadway to be built some time in the future. Advances in management of the flow of traffic and transit through the use of cameras, fiber optics, traffic sensors, traffic signal coordination, message signs, innovations to monitor commercial vehicle operations and emergency response personnel, all designed to help reduce congestion on roads and highways. Many of these items are already in place. The Plan will increase their use. Promoting the use of transit vehicle location systems and automated transit passenger counting systems. Increased use of traveler information opportunities such as the 511 telephone traffic information service and the Commuter Link website. Utah State air quality plan. Those projected emissions from the anticipated additional vehicles have been carefully modeled using EPA’s latest approved model. Those modeling efforts show that as a result of improved emissions from automobiles, trucks and buses, the use of cleaner fuels, and a greater reliance on mass transit, vehicle emissions should stay well within the emission levels (budget) approved by the Utah Division of Air Quality over the life of the Long Range Transportation Plan. Non-motorized Transportation Bicycle and pedestrian pathways are receiving greater emphasis in transportation planning. The Plan recommends a total of $250 million be spent on alternative travel over the life of the Plan. Plan recommendations include: Air Quality Air quality along the Wasatch Front has improved markedly over the past two decades. The Wasatch Front region has not experienced a violation of federal air quality standards since 1993. This is due, in part, to better automobile emission controls, cleaner fuels, and efforts by industry to clean up major pollution sources. The Long Range Plan must “conform’ to the Utah State air quality plan for mobile sources (vehicles) as approved by EPA. This means that the construction of the transportation projects proposed in this Plan may not result in vehicle emissions sufficient to exceed the level or “budget” set in the Supporting the Regional Bicycle Plan for Salt Lake, Davis, and Weber Counties. Ensuring that when roads are improved, appropriate bicycle and pedestrian lanes are constructed as well. Congestion Relief Congestion and personal delay in traffic and public transit will increase through the year 2030. This increase is a result of the population and travel increases expected over the intervening years. However, personal travel delay experienced will be significantly less if the transportation facilities in the Plan are built, compared to travel delay experienced if they are not. Ensuring Your Nest Egg Doesn’t Crack After years of saving for retirement, imagine discovering you don’t have enough to live on once you stop working. Your retirement nest egg could “crack” if you miscalculate your financial needs, earn a return lower than anticipated, or withdraw too much. These suggestions may help you keep your nest egg intact. Begin saving for retirement as soon as you start working. If you haven’t started saving yet, start as soon as possible. Save as much as you can. Even a little bit now can mean a lot more later. Don’t forget that inflation can erode the purchasing power of savings over time. Include at least some stocks in your retirement portfolio to help compensate for investments with lower rates of return. Monitor your investments periodically to ensure that they are on track of meeting your goals. Avoid taking early withdrawals from your retirement plans, especially if you have to pay a penalty or taxes on the withdrawal. Keep a close watch on your investments after retirement. You’ll probably need to invest for income while allocating a portion of your portfolio in investments with growth potential. Note: Information provided by Chris Wright is a Financial Planner with Heritage Financial Group, 399-5409, www.heritagefinancialgroup.com |