Show J r oJ Is light rail our transit future 7 F Scott Stewart Contributing Writer HIS November Salt Lake T THIS County residents will decide the future of the proposed million dollar dollar dollar dol dol- lar Light Light- Rail Transit system if a wide county-wide public referendum is authorized Almost 50 percent of the would be financed through an additional 4 1 of 1 percent sales tax in Salt Lake County The remaining 50 percent would be funded from federal sources Any additional funding would be besought besought besought sought from the private sec sec- sec sec- tor Utah Department of Transportation studies indicate that traffic in the valley is growing at atmore atmore atmore more than 6 percent per year and that volumes are expected expected expected ex ex- ex- ex to double by the year 2010 Its It's estimated that in 15 years 15 1 and other major roads will suffer from gridlock anywhere from 10 to 12 hours each day We do not want to Utah however however how how- however ever that's where were we're h headed if we dont don't address this traffic congestion problem problem problem lem said John Inglish assis- assis I l 4 tant general manager of the Utah Transit Authority UTA The UTA maintains that would provide provide- a nonpolluting nonpolluting nonpolluting non- non polluting means of transportation transportation transportation tation conserve energy and provide efficient and effective effective effective tive mobility for the Salt Lake Valley Th There ere are three issues that are critical to having a dependable transportation r system The first is cost second is speed and third is availability said Inglish The liThe cost of putting in an line is typically less than the cost of building two lanes of freeway and has the same capacity he said can reach speeds of over 60 mph The acceleration acceleration tion is very very fast That's where the real value lies For instance you could take the from the Southe Town Mall to downtown Salt Lake City stopping at 13 stat sta- sta t tA LI in the same amount of time that it would take t to ta drive a a car the same distance dis disk tance said Inglish The proposal is for a tracked double-tracked system in the central corridor between between between be be- tween South and downtown Salt Lake City The and feeder bus system system system tem would provide service every 10 minutes in peak hours and every 20 minutes I in peak off-peak hours The initial phase of the system would operate along the existing Union Pacific Railroad tracks Future Future Future Fu Fu- Fu- Fu ture phases could serve the airport the University of of- Utah West Valley Provo an and Ogden We hear a lot of false stories that does does' not work Yet it is working throughout the West and everywhere we have b been een according to Inglish Western cities that hat have haye a L r. r a are r e C Calgary al gar y Por r Portland i Sacramento San D Diego eg and di Vancouver 1 I If the referendum passes construction could begin in 18 months and the project would be complete in 1996 i. i w |