Tag Archives: UTA
A trip on the new TRAX
On Monday, a trip to West Valley City finally gave us the opportunity to give the new TRAX Green Line a spin!
And because our goal is – as always – to encourage residents along the Wasatch Front to utilize alternatives to driving alone (do you TravelWise?), we gamely decided to document this journey with the hope that it help others hop aboard also.
Our adventure started at the Courthouse TRAX station in Downtown Salt Lake City.
This station is one of many that serve all three TRAX lines (Red, Green and Blue). As such, it was important for us to make sure we knew exactly which line would get us where we wanted to go.
Luckily, signage is posted everywhere. In addition to color coded printed signs (see picture), UTA is in the process of posting incredibly helpful new digital signs that clearly outline when the next Red, Green and Blue trains are set to arrive.
Luckily, our Green train to West Valley Central Station was set to arrive next, and it glided into the station right on schedule. Our advice to riders? Make sure to read the sign on the train to make sure you are getting on the line you want. With a larger system comes more options, and – inevitably – more opportunities for you to make a minor mistake.
There is a lot to be excited about along the new West Valley route.
In addition to practically stopping at the front door of the Maverick Center (we’re excited for Grizzlies games this winter without the traffic jams and parking hassles!) we spotted easy access to the Jordan River Parkway, and hopped off in the heart of West Valley City with plenty to see and do.
We even had the opportunity to wave to our friends at ADP, Inc. along our journey (We love ADP because they are Clear the Air Challenge rock stars!)
After disembarking at the West Valley Central Station, we took a look around. Located in the heart of West Valley City, this end-of-the-line has a lot to offer!
In addition to easy access to City Hall, the station is just across the street from the Valley Fair Mall development, which features, among many other things, an In-N-Out Burger. Check out all that Valley Fair has to offer.
And get this! WVC has broken ground on a new transit-oriented development. Fairbourne Station is a mixed-use development with residential units, businesses and even a four star hotel. Learn more.
So all in all, our journey to West Valley City via the new TRAX Green Line was, well, it was fun!
The new trains are sleek, quiet and comfortable. The digital signs at the stations are incredibly helpful, clearly outlining when to expect your train. And the color-coded system (a popular choice in larger transit areas the world over) makes everything so much easier to navigate.
Congratulations UTA! We hope to have a reason to head out to Daybreak on the Red Line soon…
This is the map that made our lives a lot easier…
Salt Lake City Challenges Utah Transit Authority to Clear the Air
SALT LAKE CITY– Today, the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) accepted Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker’s challenge to create a company team to compete in the Clear the Air Challenge, which begins Thursday, July 1. Aimed at eliminating single-occupant vehicle trips through alternative transportation, the 2010 Clear the Air Challenge is a 4-week program focused on increasing public awareness of transportation options with less environmental impacts to our air quality in Utah.
“As a City, we are calling on all residents, businesses and organizations to get involved with this powerful initiative to contribute to cleaner air quality and drive down our miles,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Ralph Becker. “I had little doubt UTA would see the value in a friendly competition between our organizations to motivate everyone to do their part to improve air quality and reach our challenge goals. It will take a collective effort to make a real difference. I believe Salt Lake City employees – and our residents – are up to the challenge.”
The month-long challenge encourages all Utah residents to “Drive Less and Drive Smarter” through TravelWise strategies such as walking, biking, taking public transit, trip chaining and carpooling. This year the challenge aims to engage 10,000 participants to save 2 million vehicle miles and 3.4 million pounds of emissions during the month long campaign.
“As transit experts, we have always been supportive of alternative modes of transportation and are well positioned to support the Clear the Air Challenge,” said UTA General Manager Mike Allegra. “Our employees enthusiastically responded to the Challenge with the creation of a UTA team on the website. We’re ready to do our part for the good of Utah’s air quality.”
Participants who register at http://www.cleartheairchallenge.org and set their 2010 goals before July 1 will be entered into a special prize drawing for items that will help with alternative commutes, including bike helmets, Petzl headlamps, UTA day passes, water bottles and tote bags.
Find the challenge on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
About the Clear the Air Challenge
The 2010 Clear the Air Challenge is a Salt Lake Solutions project created by a Partners Team made up of government entities already working on air quality issues, as well as business, faith, education and other community groups interested in motivating behavior changes to improve Utah’s air quality. For questions about the 2010 Clear the Air Challenge, contact Kate Lilja, Salt Lake City Division of Sustainability, at (801) 535-7755 or kate.lilja@slcgov.com
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