(UNEDITED) After meeting with citizens of Ogden and Weber County in two public open houses earlier this year, to gain feedback on possible streetcar alignments for a new public transportation corridor, our public representatives have rolled up the maps, folded up the comments, and apparently thrown them in the trash. These agencies are on auto-pilot, working against all rational arguments for a 25th street streetcar, and are instead pushing their own 36th street alignment.
There is a reason that the citizens, people who have an innate understanding of the landscape of the city, overwhelmingly favor a 25th Street Streetcar. This route capitalizes on an existing ridership base, adding FrontRunner and Downtown-WSU riders to drive economic development; simultaneously revitalizing both downtown and the Historic Trolley District. Not only does the 36th street alternative miss the Trolley District completely, it relies only on FrontRunner ridership, funneling passengers through a largely auto-oriented portion of the community. This route will require additional public subsidy to support the lack of community/passenger buy in, thereby resulting in significantly less economic development opportunity.
On November 19th the project Stakeholder's will meet to determine the final recommendation for a Preferred Alternative for the future of any streetcar alignment either integrating or ignoring the heart of Ogden.
We hope the representatives from the City of Ogden, Weber County, Weber State University, McKay Dee Hospital Center, and the Wasatch Front Regional Council understand that UDOT and UTA¬¹s sole purpose is to serve the public, not toss us out with the trash.
James Wilson
Ogden
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