9-Line BRT

Looks like UTA is planning to put some transit in place along 800 South/Indiana Avenue. Or so it appears from their ROW purchase plans. My best guess at the alignment for the BRT would be:

Start at 900 South Trax Station, West along 800 South, to Navaho Street.
Option A: Continue West along Indiana Avenue to Redwood Road
Option B: Head south along Navaho Street to Glendale 'Rose', then southeast to California Avenue.
-b1: Return to 1300 S. Trax
-b2: Continue West to Redwood Road.

And then hence south along Redwood Road, terminating at one of many TRAX stations, viz:

• Redwood Junction
• West Jordan City Center 
• Sandy Civic (at 10600 S. and State, following route 218)
• 114/118/Pioneer Road in Draper

Extending the 9-Line Streetcar

 In an earlier post, I discussed adding a streetcar to the existing 9-Line linear park. In this post, I'm going to suggest a possible extension and second phase for the proposed streetcar. It would start at the 9-line Navaho Street Station, proceed south along Navaho Street, around the edge of the Rose Park 'Rose', and into Glendale Shopping Center. It would hence go southward along Glendale Drive, terminating at California Avenue, near the schools. It would only make sense to do so if the long, deep single family parcels along Navaho Street could be redeveloped, which would almost certainly require the use of eminent domain, and thus actions by the Redevelopment Authority (RDA). I'd estimate it would require acquiring about 2.6 acres on each side of Navaho, from 32 different parcels, for an area of about 700' by 150'.


View 9-Line in a larger map

9-Line Streetcar

With such a sweetly preserved rail corridor, there is no reason that the 9-Line Rail trail should not support a streetcar as well as an urban linear park.

Phase 1 is the section between 9th South TRAX and the Jordan River (1 mile).
Phase 2 is is the Jordan River to Redwood Road (1 mile).

Stations at 1/4 mile to 1/2 mile intervals. 

1. 9th South TRAX
2. Under I-15, at about 600 West. 
3. Bend in the River
4. Parkview School (Emory Street/ 1100 W.)
5. Navaho Street
6. Redwood Road (1700 W.)
7. (Possible intermediate Station at 1500 W.)

Station 1 may share platform with TRAX. May also follow existing railroad right of way to become parallel to 1300 TRAX station.

Station 2 becomes a public market, like Portland's Saturday market. Under the freeway reduces impact of freeway noise, provides shelter for passengers, and works to keep the area free of trash/debris.

Station 3 includes a redevelopment element--Takes houses or parkland in the area near 900 South of Montegue Ave. Potentially use the ox-tongue area between the Jordan River. High density townhomes looking out over the river, using the river as a 'fence'.

Station 4 serves the elementary school (which presumably serves some community center role), and provides access to some of the large parcels adjacent. Some single family houses directly adjacent may be 'ripe'. Regardless, parcels nearby large enough for townhouse or garden court style structures.

Station 5 provides accessibility, access to Glendale Shopping Center. (Additional transit may be required. UTA route 516 currently providing 'circulator' service in the area.). Also suggests an alternate/future alignment (Alignment 2A) for the streetcar to head south to the Shopping Center to a new retail/mixed use development.

Station 6 has very strong redevelopment potential, with large parcels located adjacent to a high-capacity arterial. Current use currently automotive sales, and depreciated industrial. It also provides connectivity with UTA's existing and planned Redwood Road.