Transit hub in Vineyard?
UTA says project could be development 'catalyst'
Vineyard officials listened Wednesday night to ideas about a potential intermodal hub in their small town — an alternative to car-dependent travel.
Intermodal hubs are transportation centers that, in one place, link bus routes, FrontRunner commuter rail and possibly even light rail.
"We just wanted to talk about what we think is going to happen in the future," said town planner Jennifer Robison, as she introduced Steve Meyer, a Utah Transit Authority representative, to town officials. "We're beginning our initial planning of what we think is going to be important for the long term of the town."
Meyer, manager for UTA's commuter rail projects, explained how "transit-oriented development," or TOD, could benefit Vineyard as well as the surrounding communities by diverting traffic from I-15 to other transit options.
UTA hopes Vineyard eventually will OK such a hub in the town.
Most transit-oriented devel opments have commercial or residential features within walking distance of the transit station and serve as an extension of the existing community.
Vineyard, west of Orem and formerly home to Geneva Steel, has the challenge of building a city as well as a transportation infrastructure.
Growth in the community of 150 is set to explode, thanks to potential for development on the old Geneva Steel site, once it has gone through the environmental-cleanup process.
"TOD can be a catalyst for Vineyard development," Meyer said. "It's not going to be the be-all, end-all — transit's good, but it's not that good — but (it becomes) a gathering point. A lot of people pass through there every day (giving) additional incentive for higher density."
To emphasize his points, Meyer showed slides of the construction on UTA's FrontRunner commuter rail weaving its way through Salt Lake, Davis and Weber counties, and the corresponding hubs being designed and built.
When complete, the full line will snake 120 miles from Brigham City to Payson.
Crews hope to finish the section from Pleasant View in Weber County to Salt Lake in a year. And if funding and construction talks go as planned, UTA hopes to reach Provo in five years, Meyer said.
E-mail: sisraelsen@desnews.com
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