Show A20 The Salt Lake Tribune NATION Sunday March Controllers Against FCC Plan To Phase Out Airport-WeathPersonnel Air-TMf- Intermountain Eyecare x ic er & Ream Gmnd Opening! BY PAMELA BROGAN WASHINGTON Expiirss331 28jMu3tPresentCoupon er d79 9) Acuvue IWrotection Exam Year Supply of Contacts air-traff- ic 95 Acuvucth yySsLioji r Disposable Contacts riy-- Exam Year Supply of Contacts & Solution ( 1 Year Free Follow-u- p Visits) Expesj318jMusJPresentCoupon air-traff- ic air-traff- rh 1 Disposable Contacts b with y 1 Air-traff- ic Aj air-traff- 'nacK Acuvuc with UV Protection air-safe- Monthly Disposable Contacts Exam Year Supply mcQqc of Sunevue Expros3198Must Eight Boxes 1 (12 Pair) Present Coupon Year's Supply We Exclusively Carry Allergan Complete Solutions Contact Lenses and Eye Exams Available From an Independent Doctor of Optometry at: Pl What are you waiting for? Put your Pearles on air-traff- SOUTH TOWNE CENTER RIVERDAUE 5724872 (801) 392-017- 4 Ogden Airport Selected Hinckley Airport in Ogden is among the regional airports designated by the Federal Aviation Administration that already have I or soon will get the automated surface obi! serving system Under the FAA plan airiL traffic controllers wil be responsible fo' weather observations using ASOS Federal weather personnel wont be employed at unless paid fqr by the localities air-traff- ic cost-savin- (3 Month Supply) f A plan by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Weather Service to eliminate federal weather personnel at 248 regional airports creates a dangerous situation the 14000-membcontrollers union said g In a move that began March 1 controllers at small to medium-siz- e airports from Greenville SC to Olympia Wash are required to monitor weather with a computerized system critics say is inaccurate The problem is that the equipment the automated surface observing system known as ASOS makes drastic mistakes and errors said Wade Stanfield an controller at the Charlotte-Dougla- s Airport in North Carolina Stanfield also is chairman of the national safety committee of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association the union tyiat represents controllers It can be dangerous at airports because pilots are making their landing decisions based on what the weather is Stanfield said We need to keep human weather people in place controllers manage airport traffic and give pilots takeoff and landing advice FAA officials declined repeated requests to be interviewed about their computerized weather system and the safety issues raised by the controllers union ASOS is incapable of detecting thunderstorms tornadoes hail and ice pellets snow amount and depth cloud layers above 12000 feet drizzle dust volcanic ash and virga which is precipitation that evaporates before it hits the ground according to government union and officials The FAA estimates that the automated system will save about $250 000 annually at each airport Localities still will have the option to employ weather personnel at airports but the FAA wont pay for them The nations largest airports also will receive the computerized weather system but will continue to employ National Weather Service personnel paid for by the federal government Robert Massey chairman of the aviation weather committee for the Airline Pilots Association agrees that there are safety issues raised by ASOS and how the FAA is using it at regional airports Of course its a safety issue Massey said We need to have accurate weather The FAA has made some big strides in correcting some problems but there are still gaping holes Stanfield said his union has been in constant negotiations with the FAA over ASOS Its a yardstick sensor It doesnt provide us with the information we need over the environment of the controller airport said Calvin Smith an in Lexington Ky who provides technical advice on ASOS for the union Could enough things happen to cause a problem? Smith asked Yes but we hope that doesnt happen Carolyn Strock manager of the Wood County Airport in Parkersburg WVa said she doesnt think the FAAs plan raises immediate safety issues Disposable Contacts Exam 2 Boxes i GANNETT NEWS SERVICE GREAT PRICES! on the World's lContaets by Johnson & Johnson f 15 1998 ts fttt Strock said her controllers who atUt members of the union are competent to monitor the weather j But Strock said she is concerned that the FAA is moving to computerize completely the weather!! at I regional airports The idea is to get ri of people and automate Strock said Thats not going to protect people At least one lawmaker is raising concerns about the FAAs actions who sits on the HdUse Rep Nick Rahall a Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Jhat oversees the FAA told FAA administrator Jane Garvey in a March 2 letter fcat the plan is nothing short of a total and intentional degradation of flight safety at the Airport in Huntington WVa Rahall said his concrns stemmed from the g weather conditions in the Mountain State and the fact that onl one controller is employed at the Huntington airport during the night a situation that is not uncommon at otheje-giona- l Ml airports "Do you mean to tell me that a professionally controller is now required to leave trained his or her post to to measure snow depth? Rahall asked Garvey J The FAA hasnt responded to Rahalls letter according to the congressmans office If everything is going fine theres no problem said William Davenport one of 18 controllers at the Huitington airport But anythingan controlhappen and it probably will We lers are now the (weather backup A In a 1896 position paper the 14 controllers union wrote that ASOS Jjf a flawed system fliat creates a clear and present danger to aviatorsand their passengers !t also said thaiASOS is essentially incapable! of reporting thunderstorms hail freezing rain tdrfia-doe- s or even snow depths that may severely affect an aircraft landing or taking off The union also recommended to the FAA "that steps be taken immediately to abandon ASOS The computerized weather system also has Sen criticized by the General Accounting Office y arm of Congress ASOS is performing neither as intended norx-pecte- d concluded the GAO in a 1995 report the system does ipt provide certain informationthat human observer!) do and users say is important to decision-makin- g aviation safety weather-relate- d iX and climatologlml analysis air-traff- ic Tri-Sta- qutck-changin- air-traff- air-traff- air-traff- ic air-traff- air-traff- thgjn-vestigator- 0RM So Temple 100 South 300Somti 500 South What is the latest news regarding TRAX construction in the downtown area? So when will TRAX be running? The latest news is good news Originally Test track wdl become operational later this spring The 6 mile north-sout- h TRAX line running from 10000 South to thejDelta Center with 16 stations is scheduled to begin operation the spring of 2000 However if the accelerated schedule holes it could be sooner the schedule called for major construction work in the downtown area to be accomplished over a However UTA Salt Lake City and the contractor Gilbert Western have period 1998-9- 9 agreed to an accelerated schedule that will allow the maior work to be done in one year Work on Main Street except for the possibility of the block between 500 South and 600 South is scheduled to be finished in August 1998 All work in the downtown area is now scheduled to be completed by November 15 1998 Will that be the end of all the area? TRAX construction in No Stations canopies poles for overhead wires landscaping and other finishing work will be done this year buf much of it will have to be accomplished next year However this work will not require street closures No work is scheduled between November 15 and the end of the year to allow for holiday shopping and activities What about construction on 200 West and 700 South? 700 Souh soosouih 1300 South 2100 South What is the status of the TRAX line from the Airport to the University of Utah? Most of the tracks are in place on 200 West between Lucy Avenue and 700 South and newly placed roadways are available for residents and businesses in that area Utility work is complete between 900 South and 800 South The intersections of 900 South and 700 South on 200 West are closed and work there will continue through April 2700 Spy? ft Planning and construction of this line is separate from the original h line now under construction Preliminary planting on the west-ea- st line has been completed but no final decisions have been made regarding its route funding or schedule However it is hoped the line can be in place for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games north-sout- 3S00Sbi 4500 Seulh How and where will TRAX interface with commuter rail? ) Commuter rail is also still in the planning stage If it becomes a reality it is planned that there would be an intermodal hub h Salt Lake City where TRAX commuter rail bus service and othei transportation modes would all come together The exact location of that hub has not yet been determined There may also be other connection points between TRAX and commuter rail in other communities When will specific segments of the construction begin and end? Work from 200 South will begin to 400 South March 15 however the intersections at 200 South and Main and 300 South and Main wili close until the intersections at 100 South and Main and 400 South and Main are open Work is scheduled to be completed on intersections of Main Street and 100 South and Main and 400 South by the beginning of April Work currently underway between 400 South and 500 South will be completed in June or July but one lane of traffic will be opened in May Late March will also mark the closure of the south half of Whai about work on South Temple? Work on South Temple between the Delta Center and Main Street will begin April 13 The intersection of West Temple and South Temple will be closed for all but local access in late April Work on the block facing the Delta Center will begin in July after the Arts Festival Because of state requirements 300 West and South Temple will remain open for north-sout- h traffic Major work on South Temple and all other parts of the downtown area is set to be completed by November 15 1998 What work is being done besides laying TRAX tracks? same time utilities are being moved and upgraded and the streets are being improved On Main Street in the central business At the district new sidewalks planters and lighting are being installed Landscaping will be added as will artwork at the station locations as part of the Arts in Transit program f- - TT uk the intersection at Main and 600 South The north half of that intersection will remain open until the south half is finished The north half will be rebuilt when the block between 500 and 690 South is construct ed later in the fail The entire intersection will be open in August The block between 600 South and 700 South will be closed from to mid-Ma- y All track construction and road work on Main Street is due to be completed by late August 1998 except for the block between 600 and 500 South which may be delayed due to other construction in the area Where can I get updated and information? I Major construction continues in the existing rail corridor from 10000 South in Sandy to 1300 South Rail is currently being installed between 5900 South and 7800 South Track between 6400 South and 8000 South will be used to test TRAX trains before they are put in service I TRAX T R A A Conte' fi TRAX 9000 South For more information call: cars begin to arrive? TRAX cars are currently being built in California by Siemens The first car is due to arrive in April with additional cars arriving about every month until all 23 cats which have been ordered are delivered T LovenOahl Everyone is invited to visit the TRAX construction office located at 167 South Main Street in Salt Lake City Information is also available at the Information Desk at ZCMI Center Mall Or call one of the numbers listed below What about construction along the railroad corridor? When will on-goi- 5300 SouSi N t I X t I X I S I UTA BUS-INF- UTA Rldeshare Carpooling and Vanpooling Information UTAs Web SjK and Detour Information site 287-463- 6 533-743- 3 wwwuiabuscotn Reconstruction Hotline Web site mvwi-15co- m U WM |