OGDEN -- Mayor Matthew Godfrey says his administration has abandoned a proposed $160 million streetcar system because the price has derailed the project.
Even if the federal government funded half of the streetcar, the city would have to nearly double property taxes to cover the remaining $80 million in construction costs and $2.3 million in annual operating expenses, Godfrey said.
"We don't have $2.3 million, let alone $80 million," he said.
Still, the city council is moving ahead with having consultant GB Arrington, who works for PB PlaceMaking Inc., based in Portland, Ore., determine the viability of federal funding for the project and economic impact of the streetcar system linking downtown, Weber State University and McKay-Dee Hospital.
The city council persuaded a group of stakeholders in June to temporarily stop work on the streetcar project so Arrington can complete his study.
"So much time, passion and money has gone into this project that the council believes it is important to pause while a streetcar consultant completes a technical review of all the data," City Council Chairwoman Caitlin Gochnour said in an email to the Standard-Examiner.
The council wants the streetcar to run from the Intermodal Hub on Wall Avenue up 23rd Street to Washington Boulevard, along Washington to 25th Street, up 25th to Harrison Boulevard and on to Weber State University and McKay-Dee Hospital.
The council maintains that route would foster development and best serve residents.
However, a study spearheaded by the Utah Transit Authority indicates the preferred route is from the Intermodal Hub along 23rd Street, to Washington Boulevard, along Washington to 36th Street to Harrison Boulevard and then to Weber State and McKay-Dee.
The city council is also considering a possible "Life on Harrison" study to determine the type of development that may occur along the 25th Street-Harrison Boulevard route, as well as how to handle traffic.
Officials involved with the streetcar project have estimated the study could cost as much as $200,000.
However, Godfrey doesn't believe it's a wise use of city resources to continue studying the streetcar project.
"Why should we spend time to further investigate this?" he said.
The city council is scheduled to discuss the streetcar project at an Aug. 23 work session.
http://wcforum.blogspot.com/2011/07/standard-examiner-big-bill-derails.html
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