Town Hall Aug 9 Recap

 RECAP on August 9th Town Hall Meeting

Approximately forty people attended the Townhall meeting.

WINTER TRAFFIC MITIGATION

I invited Mayor Weichers and UDOT's BCC/LCC Regional Supervisor Jake Brown address their winter traffic mitigation efforts. While largely pointed at the Ft. Union Blvd intersection area including cut-through traffic in and around the Prospector neighborhood, residents south of there had a chance to voice their frustration with being unable to get in and out of their neighborhoods in the eleven streets that intersect SR 210/WSB within the "Bengal/Golden Hills corridor".

Jake emphasized signage and use of Cottonwood Canyons Comm:

https://cottonwoodcanyons.udot.utah.gov/canyon-road-information/

Several people in the meeting wanted a new AM radio station dedicated to comprehensive information about the BCC/LCC/CH/Sandy traffic, parking, buses, carpooling, canyon closures, estimated re-opening times, etc.

Jake Brown pointed out that many new cars no longer have AM radios. Whereas, ALL people carry a smart phone and can access the UDOT website. So, he prefers to see our city and other entities point motorists to real time information offered on the UDOT website.

I can see Jake's point and agree that a singular comprehensive site is best and all stakeholders should point arriving canyon enthusiasts to a singular site via their websites and social media. But, I think UDOT needs to beef up the information they provide to include suggesting where arriving skiers should leave their vehicles.

 UDOT's Jake Brown didn't seem to realize that the buses on weekends, holidays and snow mornings during peak hours ARE USUALLY FULL when they arrive to the 6200 South CH and the 9400 S Highland Sandy Park & Rides.

Thus, the point I have been making, along with Friends of Alta, CWC, Save Our Canyons, Wasatch Backcountry Alliance and SLCO Mayor is THERE NEEDS TO BE HUBS DOTTING SL VALLEY where motorists can LEAVE THEIR VEHICLES CLOSER to WHERE THEY LIVE OR LODGE and get direct bus service up LCC and BCC ON PEAK HOURS.

While we understand that CH does not have the eleven-officer traffic control team like Sandy, D4 residents urged the mayor and UDOT representative to consider better/more traffic control to get motorists to wait in the shoulder (or how about utilizing the vacant Hillside Plaza parking lot) instead of clogging vehicular lanes.

Appreciated Jake's emphasis on digital signs and the Canyon Comm website to instruct motorists that "Parking lots are full. Ride bus." There are also still plenty of parking spaces in the various Park & Rides, but UTA's reduced bus service is the problem. UTA announced this spring that they will NOT be improving headway (frequency) or the 953 Ski Bus Route. It is a matter of the inadequacy of both the number of buses and their frequency DURING PEAK HOURS.

In my opinion, there are problems with Jake's suggestions as follows:

1. The UDOT website states: “Each resort in the Cottonwood Canyons has individual visitor management policies and parking systems, but all have digital signs at the mouth of the canyons to notify visitors of their parking lots status (limited, full, etc.). Please read these signs before driving up." I believe UDOT needs to show which resorts still have parking spots available in real time AND indicate which Park & Rides still have available parking.

2. Jake seemed to think that telling arriving motorists to "Take the bus" was adequate. On peak morning hours, the buses arriving ARE usually FULL when they arrive to the 6200 South CH and the 9400 S Highland Sandy Park & Rides.

We need UDOT to collaborate and subsidize UTA Ski Bus Service ASAP.

As I see it, our challenges related to improvements NOT expansion of

WASATCH BLVD/SR 210 to include:

1. An unwillingness by the Council majority to accept that the widening of SR 210/WSB "induces demand" (putting more vehicles on our roadways and through our neighborhoods).

2. Forces within UDOT, Envision Utah and WFRC want parallel highways to I-15. They see SR 190 and 210 as another parallel highway instead of the unique and scenic gateway to Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons.

3. UTA sees the "VIA" on-demand system (which they plan to implement in Cottonwood Hts) as a viable solution for transit for south-eastern and south-western SL Valley residents. (My vision is electric Bus Rapid Transit within "prioritized bus lanes" along 1300 East and/or Highland Drive that feed eastern Draper & Sandy as well as CH commuters to the East Bench Cultural District utilizing I-215/Foothill Drive and also a BRT route in peak commuter hours up Highland/Van Winkle and into central downtown SLC.)

4. Not been able to get council to correlate the opposition to expensive gondola tied to the need for those monies to be spent for FIRST CLASS TRANSIT for SL Valley.

5. There is not an awareness of tying gondola and Wasatch Blvd expansion opposition to insufficient east/west and north/south transit for Draper, Sandy and CH commuters as well as for canyon enthusiasts.

6. Data collection is necessary to document the numbers of vehicles moving from CH and eastern Draper & Sandy to East Bench Cultural District and central downtown SLC. This is to see what electric BRT along Highland Drive/I-215/Foothill Drive AND Highland Drive/Van Winkle/700 East could mean for alleviating need for additional lanes on 1300 East, Highland Drive and Wasatch Blvd/SR 210 & 190.

HILLSIDE REDEVELOPMENT to CITY CENTER

I outlined that the CDRA (Community Development & Redevelopment Agency) Board (made up of mayor and council) is just beginning to work with a consulting firm to begin envisioning process and how the citizen advisory committee will be formed, etc. Please come and observe the work session discussion at 4pm each first and third Tuesday of each month.

I turned the time over to Kayla Lengyel to describe the family friendly, innovative ideas she, on behalf of parents with young children, would like to see: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1XKCMRDHRSQKtjJ2EfVjhAhMcwxFNENiZU8CePL_nV94/edit

GONDOLA

We did not delve into this subject deeply. The Record of Decision states that while phased transit and other improvements will be made between now and 2040, that UDOT plans to discontinue buses up LCC once the gondola installation is completed within their Phase 3 (2040-2050).

The mayor indicated that he is emphatic within all of his roles, on CWC Board and in direct communication wtih Carlos Braceras/ED of UDOT, that UDOT MUST base all analysis of the efficacy of the enhanced busing, improved and new bus facilities/tolling/snow sheds within 2024/25 through 2029/30 seasons on SPECIFIC METRICs before deciding whether the gondola is necessary and advancing its design & build out.

Constituent Al Young voiced possible private/public bussing remedies that are based on timed entry, parking lot capacities, etc.

You can read my point of view: https://ellenbirrell.com/topics/ellens-formal-comment-to-wfrc

UPDATE FROM REPRESENTATIVE GAY LYNN BENNION

Representative Bennion shared about Short Term Rentals and Riparian Corridor legislation she is working on.

PUBLIC OPINION

Other subjects identified by those in attendance as concerns included waste management/landfills, childcare, senior needs, idling reduction, need for a citizen safety (police/fire) committee, a more stringent noise ordinance, safer streets, trail access (Deaf Smith's).

SAFE STREETS

I shared CH's current procedure for deciding what road projects to advance for funding through grants only. CH spends general funds for roadway resurfacing and toward matching grants. Thus, to advance any new crosswalk, traffic calming, etc. the project must receive the support of a council majority (at least three voting members).

There are three transportation related grants coming up for Letters of Intent in September. I urged residents who have a specific traffic calming/safety installation in mind to meet with two voting members right away. I already advocate for safety redesigns including:

·      Roundabout at Golden Hills Avenue/SR 210

·      Safety/traffic calming redesign of Danish Road from Danish Spring Cove to south of English Way, including continuous sidewalk on west side of street

·      Safety/traffic calming redesign and new mid-block crosswalk with warning signaling on Creek Road from Torring Court to Deer Creek Road

·      Raised mid-block crosswalks on 3500 East just south of Smith's AND on Bengal Blvd from western edge of Smith's parking lot

There are many other possibilities for advancing safe mobility for all users but we have to work with what the city offers at this time. Stay tuned. Attend Park, Trails and Open Space Committee meetings and City Council meetings AND MAKE YOUR WISHES KNOWN at all these meetings with PUBLIC COMMENTS.

Yours in community,

Ellen

Holding Kayla’s beautiful daughter while Kayla presented her city center suggestions during the town hall meeting.