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Show UTA bus changes improve student transit options Routes modified for faster service a id easier connections to TRAX Mandajacobs StaffWriter Westminster students will sec a lot of changes on the road this semester. On Aug. 26, the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) introduced a redesigned transit system for Salt Lake County. According to UTAs Web site, the original system was designed in 1970 and was modeled after the local trolley network. Since then, there has been little change made to the original system. Some of the new changes include consolidating route structure, increasing the frequency of routes in high-demaareas and times and designing night routes to mirror the day routes. According to a study done by Cambridge Systemat-ic- s, Inc. for UTA, nearly 80 percent of Salt Lake County residents would use UTA transportation if it took into account their needs, which were identified as sensitivity to time, stress, safety, comfort and schedules. According to its Web site, UTA held 10 public hearings for six weeks in March and April in communities throughout Salt Lake County and Davis County for public comment. Using these data and results from other research performed over the last five years, the UTA Board of Trustees approved an additional $1.5 million for the redesign. The extra money allowed UTA to change 55 of the 80 proposed routes and add nine routes not originally proposed. Some students believe public transportation is more trouble than its worth. It would take me over an hour to get to school from my house, said Brittani Rufener. I think UTA is very disorganized and doesnt seem to care about its passengers. Despite the changes made to increase route stops in high-demaareas, not much attention is paid to nd nd the outlying residential areas where many students live. It can be difficult to take advantage of the bus system when the closest route stop is miles away or when multiple transfers are needed to get from point A to point B. UTA is facing 10 years of declining ridership in the Salt Lake valley . Justin Jones, the manager of the bus route redesign project, said UTA is facing 10 years of declining ridership in the Salt Lake valley, so we, in effect, have to decrease bus service. We hope to add more routes in the future, when ridership increases. Still, there are many positive effects that can be seen by Westminster students who currently use the bus system and TRAX to get to school. With the increased number of route stops around the college designed to work with TRAX and bus transferring, planning trips should be much easier. Jones said, UTA is very excited about the redesign. There will be a much higher level of service. In particular, the 1700 South route, 220, runs from the 2100 South TRAX station and connects the Salt Lake Community College, Westminster and the University ofUtah. The redesign also brings fare increases, but faculty, staff and students can avoid this extra stress on their s, good until pocketbooks by purchasing an Sept. 15, 2008, from the Cashiers Window. Students are required to show their Westminster ID at the time of purchase. Accounts Payable Clerk and Cashier Steve Upwall said the college has absorbed the additional costs resulting from the redesign. For more information about the redesign, visit www. Ed-Pas- Route Change Details UTAs new bus system of routes: is based on three types Core: These 12 new routes mirror the TRAX schedule. Service: These routes run every 30 minutes in less populated residential areas and connect with TRAX and the Core bus routes. Most of the routes around Westminster will be the 15-Min- ute 30-Min- ute 15-Min- ute 30-min- ute sendee type. Fast Bus: These routes run quickly between residential areas and downtown Salt Lake City or the University ofUtah. Beginning Aug. 26, all bus routes were renamed. Eastboundwestbound routes are now named after the street they are on. For example, the route running on 3300 South is 33. Northbound southbound routes follow the same convention, except that a 2 precedes the street number. For example, the route running on 2300 East is 223. The routes nearest Westminster are 223 and 220, which runs on 1700 South. Unlike before, night routes operate on the same path and number of the matching day route. rideuta.comprojects2007routeChanges. Candidate debate Continued from page 3 candidates admitted that Salt Lake City has not been as effective as it should be at purchasing open space land parcels. Buhler advised that the city should be more nimble in moving forward with the acquisition of public lands. Salt Lake City resident Nancy Rasmuson was pleased at how well the debate turned out and enjoyed the friendly and joking manner of the candidates. It was refreshing to see the candidates be so respectful of each other, she said. While most attendees liked what was said, to some, certain candidates stood out more than others. Sugar House resident Scott Schumann said, I thought that as a bike commuter, back country skier and environmentalist, Ralph Becker really spoke to me. Schumann said that though he and his wife dont usually come to Westminsters community events, I was driving down the street and the sign sold me. One of the few Westminster students who attended the event was junior and Environmental Studies major Ashley Pedersen. She said that because she expected less strength from the Republican side, I was really impressed in all the candidates commitment to the environment. She particularly liked the suggested UTA improvement and bike safety plans. SEPTEMBER 4, 2007 |