4.3. SR 01-20-2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

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line to open in the Los Angeles metro- politan area since 1990, and it replaces bus service that previously was the only public transportation option for travelers between the two cities. Now, local bus routes feed travelers to the Gold Line's stations, where commuters can transfer to the light rat[ and ride into downtown. The transit agency created the Gold Line to increase capacity in the cor- ridor without building more roads or adding more buses to already congested roads. "There are people who think you ought to put all your money toro buses or build more freeways," says Ed Scannell, spokesperson Gr Los Angeles County MTA. "We're at a point in Los Angeles County where we can't build any more freeways: There are areas in this county where we run buses every 90 seconds, and we're getting to the point where we're going to put in articulated buses. But when we get to the point where those buses are full, and we're runnmg every 90 seconds, [we] have to find a way to increase capacity, and then light rail becomes the mode of choice." Sacramento, Calif., officials also turned to light rail to reduce traffic congestion in a rapidly growing corridor south of tee city. The city opened a $222 million, 6.3-mile extension to its ~-mt[e light rail system in September to carry commuters from neighborhoods south of the city into downtown Sacramento. "The extension is in one of the fastest growing corridors in the area," says Bev- erly Scott, general manager for Sacra- menro Regional Transit District. "We're the sixth worst [metro area] in terms of air quality in tee country. Good transit ts not a luxury; ifs a necessity, and the reason is because of the tremendous growth coup[ed with the air-quality llems." Sacramento currently is constructing another 10.9 miles of light rail to con- necr Folsom with the city by 2005. "In every major corridor, tee congestion is unbelievab[e," Scott says. "When you see people able to shave 20 minutes off a daily trip, able to make connections and go places that either they could not go before or could not as conveniently go befbre and able to do rear safely and affordably, that's what [light rail is] all ~,bout." Salt Lake City's geography compounds its growing traffic congestion. Situated in the middle of the Wasatch Moun- tains, Salt Lake City lies 40 mi[es from Ogden to the north and 40 miles from Provo to the south. Eighty percent of the state's population resides in those 80 miles, and the mountains create a barrier to road expansion in the metropolitan region. "The opportunity to add roads just is not there," says Andrea Packer, public relations and marketing manager for the Utah Transit Authority (UTA). "We rebuilt 1-15 in Salt Lake County five years ago, which was long overdue, but everybody knew going in that it wasn't going to be enough." The first leg of Salt Lake's 19-mile light rail system, known as TRAX, opened in 1999, and a 2.5-mile exten- sion to the University of Utah opened in 2002 in rime for the Winter Olympics. This September, UTA opened an $89.4 million, i.5-mile extension to the Uni- versity line. The extension runs through lion option to commuters who want to bypass automobile traffic on the city's highways. "We knew we had to develop a competitive system that was of pretty high quality and that did what people wanted it to do, was clean, convenient, safe, fast and went to the right places," says Doug Allen, executive vice presi- dent for program development for Dallas Area Rapid Transit. "If you can develop a good product, people will choose to use it. There are still people that drive, but we feel that we've provided a quality alternative for them to consider, and a lot of teem are choosing to take advan- tage of [it]." Dallas opened its first 20 miles of light rail in 1996 and, since then, has expanded the system to include 43 miles of light rail. The light rail system com- plements a range of public transporta- the campus of the University of Utah, ending at the University Medical Center, which employs more than 14,000 people. "When light rail first launched, people thought we would be stealing bus rider- ship that we've had for years in the area," says Marri Money, public relations spe- ciahsr for UTA. "While there was a little bit of borrowing from that ridership, we were finding that we had new ridership [on light rail.] We can't get enough cars on the line to provide for all the peopie who want to ride, and that's one of tee best problems we could ever have." A multi-modal mix Likewise, in Dallas, where stereotypes abound about car-loving residents and where traffic congestion is notorious, the city has found that its light rail line attracts high ridership. The light rail line provides an alternative transporra- lion options in the city, including buses, streetcars and commuter rail transit. "Mobility, especially in urban areas, has to come from more than just highways," Allen says. "We believe in a balanced transportation system. Buses and light rail help with congestion by taking away cars when it is most congested." Houston also is trying to diversify the transportation options in the city by constructing a $324 million, 7.5-mile light rail line downtown. Currently, the city only offers buses as a public transportation option, and it has built an extensive system of high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes to encourage com- muters to carpoo[. The light rail line will open Jan. 1, just in time for the Super Bowl on Feb. 1 at Reliant Park, which is ar one end of the line. "We looked at whether it made sense to have more buses, do 62 December 2003 www.americancityandcounty.com