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Show I WEEKLY REFLEX DAVIS NEWS JOURNAL, NORTH DAVIS LEADER, MARCH 18, 1981 By MARK D, MICKELSEN the 450 West intersection, would be Sunset's choice in ClearCLEARFIELD field residents who believe construction on the rickety 800 North railroad bridges is long overdue received some en- the reconstruction effort. He added that the city has been forced to give up other HUD grants this year to participate in the 800 North project. couragement from the city council at their meeting. CONSULTING engineer Ron Smith announced Tuesday that the citys application for a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant was approved. And following a final engineering study, the structures at 975 West and 475 West, 800 North, will be reconstructed. Mr. Smith presented four re- construction alternatives to 4 the council, ranging from one bridge which would close off 450 West to several others with automobile underpasses with traffic. one and .: two-wa- y ALSO PROPOSED are a sidewalk, a concrete curb, a railing and a fence on the outside of the bridge. As far as funding goes, a breakdown of the $1.6 million project shows the state contrfive-fo- alternatives. Mr. Smith said Plan B appears to be the most cost efficient and would cause fewer problems. The city council agreed. One hitch in setting up the alternatives came as railroad officials from Union Pacific Grande asked and Denver-Rithat additional space be provided for at least one future track. I THINK it's important that w e get a commitment from all the cities. We need to support it," he told the Clearfield councilmen. o WE HAVE met with both Larry Mills, who owns railroads. property on the south side of one of the existing bridges, said he was worried that the new, larger bridge would cut back his property. put four-plexe- s, IN THE meantime. Smith said the city and its engineers must complete an environmental impact statement. Beyond the contribution of $87,000 from the tw o railroads, the council learned that they also have agreed to take care of the flagging and inspections on the structures. sup- ported alternative B. six-fo- ot DfiRG BRIDGE UNSAFE, UNSOUND Described as structurally unsound, as well as unsafe for travel, the Denver and Rio Grande bridge, 975 West 800 North, faces overall reconstruction as well by early Spring. million; HUD, ibuting $476,000; the Union Pacific and Denver-Ri- o Grande, $87,000; and Clearfield city, $1 approximately $15,000. WE HAVE fixed dollar amounts on this project, Mr. Smith told the council, warning that the longer it takes the city to act on the proposal the less money they will have to work with. Mr. Smith further explained the details of the four reconstruction alternatives. They are: By MARK D. MICKELSEN SALT LAKE CITY The legislature's failure to pass a bill allowing the Utah Transit Authority to collect another quarter cent of the state sales tax may result in major service cutbacks to Salt Lake, Davis and Weber counties, a UTA spokesman said. ROD CLIFFORD, community relations, said the death of 8 forces the UTA board of directors to evaluate the operation of the entire transit system in order to come up with some cost efficient cutbacks. Among the budget-cuttin- g suggestions are a reduction in midday service, the elimination of some rural routes and the eventual cancellation of Sunday and holiday service throughout the three counties. SB-6- ALL OF THESE are propMr. Clifford osed changes, said, and must be approved by the board of directors following a number of public hearings. There is also the possibility of a fare rate change before the end of this year, unless we can find some other source of funds," he added. IN DAVIS County, Mr. Clifford explained that there will probably be a substantial rek duction of service. In other words, where a bus now stops every 30 minutes it will eventually only stop once on the hour. The proposed elimination of routes 13 and 14, serving off-pea- Har-risvil- le and the Briarwood areas of Weber County, came about as UTA officials discovered that there are too few people taking advantage of the rural service. IN SOME more unpopulated areas, Mr. Clifford said it costs the UTA almost one dollar per mile to service the district. But, in many cases, he said the transit system receives only 40 cents per mile because only one person gets on the bus. The proposed "park and ride lots, already popping up throughout Salt Lake and parts of Davis and Weber county, will not be affected by the cutbacks, the spokesman said. PLANNING FOR the lots will continue, says Mr. Clifford, because the only cost involved is putting up signs identifying that buses will serve the area. Residents unable to get to Lets Keep Our Standards High When does freedom become a license and an invitation to nullify the rights of others? IT ISNT difficult for a to enter a theater and watch an movie. But how much easier to watch the same uncensored, inappropriate material at the home of a friend, whose parents are absent, busy or uncaring. The same might be true of a spending the night with a friend, or a in the home of a neighbor. Perhaps the right to view anything and everything infringes on the more fundamental rights of children to grow up in a wholesome atmosphere and of parents to provide that environment.' MANY LAWS, by the way, govern what we do in the "pri- vacy of our own homes. Laws on drug use, homosexuality, child abuse and others. The good of society as a whole must sometimes be para- mount. Can it be that we are naively unaware of the content of movies? Then many why the concerted and suc cessful effort by Kaysville citizens just a few years ago to keep them out of our theater? DO WE really feel that and explicit sex would have no effect on those with whom our families have daily contact? However good our intentions, can our lives remain untouched if the attitudes and behavior of community members are adversely influenced? If of to one-haShowtime and HBO programcan any ming is amount of Walt Disney or educational material offset this impact? one-thir- d lf I, TOO, applaud the potential of cable TV to raise the standards of current network programming. But the cost to our community and to individual lives is too great for us to gracefully accept these two entertainment channels. Please, will you help us keep our community standards high? Allow us to be "different" thats what makes our nation's freedom worth preserving. Sarah M. Harris Kaysville regular bus stops may now drive into one of the park and ride lots, leave their car, then travel to their destination. MR. CLIFFORD said the UTA has. a current agreement with the Mormon Church to provide their lots for the service. It is hoped, that the advent of the park and ride system will allow more people to take advantage of the service, he said. CURRENTLY, there are two such lots in Davis County, one at the Bountiful J.C. Penney Store, and another at the Layton Hills Mall. Four more are planned in the Bountiful and Woods Cross areas: The first at 2505 Davis Blvd., and served by UTA route No. 62, another at the Bountiful 35th LDS Ward, 455 South 200 East, served by route No. 61; a third at the 1 Bountiful 19th LDS Ward, 1500 North 400 East, UTA route 55 and 71 ; and a fourth at the Woods Cross Fifth LDS Ward, 1500 South 800 West and served by route 60. of the state property tax. But Utahns, Mr. Clifford guessed, are not ready to accept either system. Since the UTA operates in only three Utah counties, he said it would be unfair to charge the remaining state residents any sort of fee to pay-fo- r the bus service, especially when they cant even take advantage of it. HE SAID THE sales tax still seems to apportionment be the best possibility. Funding shortfalls will be says Mr. Clifcompacted, ford, if the Reagan Administration agrees to cutback federal next five years. THE ACTION will cost the UTA alone between $3.9 and $4 million each year. And Mr. Clifford said that would be over 16 percent of the UTAs total operating budget. Theres no way to make that up, he said. from THE SIGNAL Washington, Mr. Clifford added, is that they'll phase it out 20 percent each year." Reagans stand, said Mr. Clifford, is that local entities should pay for the system. Concert Planned The Davis High Symphonic Band will hold its annual Spring Concert on March 18 at 7:30 p.m. The band will be performing numbers which will range from the main theme of "Jaws to "Mars and the ballet suite from the Fire SIGNS ARE being installed at the four new lots this week, Mr. Clifford said, noting that they probably will not be usable for at least another two weeks. With the failure of SB-6UTA officials were warned by the legislature to find a way to operate more efficiently, according to Mr. Clifford. BUT HE SAID the funding alternatives for the system are scarce. The cutbacks will mean "someone whos using the system now wont have the service anymore, the spokesman explained, adding that the UTA has similarly cutback administrative costs to the operating subsidies for the transit authorities over the bird. DONATIONS TO the conwill be $1 for students, $2 for adults, and $6 for family. All proceeds will be used by the band to purchase new instruments. cert ALTERNATIVE A: The construction of an underpass y at 450 West, allowing traffic. Alternative B: Elevate the intersection at 450 West another feet. two-wa- ALTERNATIVE Ct Close 450 West. Alternative D: The construction of an underpass at 450 West, allowing only oneway traffic. SOME LOCAL residents, as well as Sunset Mayor Norm Sant voiced opposition to the closure of 450 West. The street divides the four communities of Clearfield, West Point, Sunset and Clinton. Mayor Sant told the council Sunset will not participate in the project if 450 West is blocked off, as it would be under Alternative C. The mayor said the street is one of Sunsets main thoroughfares and said its blockage would seriously affect fire department traffic and residents living in Sunset. THE MAYOR continued that Plan B, or the raising of in." Final application for the bridges must be made by April I. Mr. Smith told the council, at which time grant money w ill probably be funneled back to the city to begin the work. HE TOLD the council that a year ago he could have had but due to a four zoning change by the city, he now has room for only two such facilities. He said he is concerned that the bridge construction will limit his property size even more. He, therefore, ONE OF THE advantages to alternative B, Mr. Smith said, is that the raising of the 450 West intersection would cut back the amount of water that gathers now on the downslope end of the existing bridge. The elevation of the intersection will not change 450 West, "as far as traffic goes," he added. FEDERAL funding was okayed for the two bridges. Mr. Smith said, because both have been proven unsafe and structurally unsound for travel. "If we do nothing" on the bridges, he said, "we have a continuing problem." PLAN C, or the closure of gives a better consideration for the grade," Mr. Smith said, but the drainage water would have to be piped underground and into a canal on 450 West. Plan D, involving a underpass on the west end of the bridge, "would balance the amount of traffic, the engineer told the council. 450 West, one-wa- HAVING THE CITY council unanimously agreed to pursue Alternative B, and announced that a citizens committee must be set up as one of the criteria for the completion of the project. The committee, made up of representatives from Clearfield, Sunset, West Point and Clinton, will be appointed to implement the overall bridge plan. y STUDIED the Picture Info. For All Papers Pictures will be taken for the Kaysville Weekly Reflex, Clearfield Bulletin, North Davis Leader and Davis New Journal on both Wednesday and Thursday mornings between 1 a.m. blocs must be APPOINTMENTS for the two-hou- r made through the Leader offices, 197 North Main, Layton. Pictures taken Wednesday and Thursday will appear in the following weeks papers. FOR FURTHER information contact Virginia 3 Bennett at or Pictures will be taken by appointment only during the Wednesday and Thursday blocs, mdm 376-913- 867-295- f i vfwrn iiWoi.ii awwy i t M'dm bone." ASKED IF THE lack of sales tax revenue from the more rural counties like Davis and Weber will affect future service, Mr. Clifford said The amount of service has to be directly proportional to the sales tax collected." He said a recent study shows sercice proportional," and said that if the proposed cutbacks are okayed by the board of directors, the cutbacks "will be proportional too." THE UTAH State Senate was concerned about our efficiency," he added, and the message we got is that we must operate more effi- ciently. Another problem facing the UTA is a continual rise in the cost of fuel and limited access to bus parts. OTHER STATES with transit systems take a portion of the resident vehicle registration fee to pay for operating costs, he said, while others are granted a proportional amount UNION PACIFIC BRIDGE City Manager Gayle Starks said, and both are ready to have the bridges Plans for the reconstruction of the Union Pacific Railroad bridge, at 475 West 800 North, were outlined last week by the project engineer. |