Say 'No!' To Widening Harrison Blvd. for *MORE* Auto Traffic!

The Wasatch Front Regional Council is currently updating it's Regional Transportation Plan, and is accepting public comment- but only, as we understand currently, until this coming Thursday! One of the potential recommendations in this plan is the widening of Harrison Boulevard for MORE auto traffic, to potentially a 7 lane "regional arterial" type road. In addition to our support for a 25th-Harrison streetcar, the Trolley District opposes this part of the plan. - We know of no one in Ogden who is supportive of widening Harrison for more auto traffic. - However, there has been VERY little public awareness of this plan, or local public process, to reflect the public will about widening Harrison for more auto-traffic to become a potentially 7-lane "regional arterial."

We can use this opportunity to show your support for a 25th-Harrison streetcar/transit line, as transit is part of what is being considered in this plan, as well as for not widening Harrison for more auto-traffic. (Based on other designs in other cities, any widening would only need to be minimal for transit on Harrison, if the line is engineered correctly, and would mostly need to be for just the stops- not at all the same type of drastic widening all along Harrison we are talking about with this WFRC plan).

If you don't want Harrison widened for MORE auto traffic, and potentially turning into a 7 lane auto arterial send an e-mail to Sam Klemm at the Wasatch Front Regional Council, and cc Pam Jorgensen on that email. This is a VERY easy way to help fulfill the civic responsibility we all share to participate in our communities and the local decision making process. As the time left for public comment is so brief, ('til next Thursday) please do this as soon as you read this e-mail and don't delay by resolving to do it later. Please act NOW. Here is a simple message, that you can put in your own words if you would like, or copy into your e-mail: "Put the Downtown-WSU transit line up 25th Street and along Harrison, and don't widen ANY of Harrison for more auto traffic--not even the parts to the north or south--except to accommodate transit."

Here is Sam Klemm's email address at the Wasatch Front Regional Council's address along with Pam Jorgenson's, who should be cc'ed in your email to Sam:

Sam Klemm: sam@wfrc.org

(Public Information Officer)

Pam Jorgensen: pjorgensen@wfrc.org

(Administrative Assistant) - She makes sure Sam gets the emails, etc- so cc' her on your email.

Please take the simple step of sending an email now!

Thanks for your support,

-The Trolley District Citizen Actions Network

Ogden Streetcar Article in Deseret News

Ogden Weighs Streetcar Placement - Deseret News

Another article about Ogden's efforts to bring a streetcar route back to our city, and where to place that route has been published in the Deseret News. Although the article, at the beginning, incorrectly frames the support for a 25th alignment as being about having the trolley simply pass by the beautiful architecture of the historic Trolley District, it is in many respects a good article, and we are very glad to have the coverage. Please take a moment to comment on the article!

We need to make it clear that the citizens of Ogden are in full support of a 25th - Harrison alignment and that UTA is not listening to the public will and promoting an alignment that is not right for our city, and paying for consultants with no transit planning experience, among several other issues. We also need to encourage the Salt Lake media outlets to continue to cover this important issue and let them know that this is something Ogden residents care about deeply, and comments are the best way to do so.

The Deseret News website requires a brief registration, via online form, and confirming your email address, and approval of your screen name to comment, (also via an email), but it is so worth it to make it clear that UTA is heading in the wrong direction, is not listening, and going against the public will! This issue is too important not to make your voice heard.

Ogden Weighs Streetcar Placement - Deseret News

Also, when you do comment, be patient- your comment will show up on the site, but it can take a few minutes.

Streetcar Revival - More Press

Can we learn from the past, and shape a community and environmentally friendly future with good public transportation?  


This is a great article found in the April AARP bulletin entitled "Streetcar Revival" highlights a few of the many benefits that streetcars are restoring back to our cities and neighborhoods - connecting where people live and where they work, shop, and recreate... sound familiar?!?

More than a name

I'd like to point all of our friends and trolley neighbors to this article featured in the Standard Examiner:

East Central vs. Trolley District? A new name, a new image

This is a great overview of the area, and our growing community organization.  An especially great read for anyone interested in learning more about this place that we love so much.  Of course we have to say that our work and advocacy is far more than a name -- it's about identity, perception, and vision.  We are working together to revitalize a critical core of the city and the county - the success or failure of the heart of the city will determine the vitality and sustainability of an entire region. 

This is why we are working so hard towards realizing a modern transit system based on historic precedent that will reconnect Ogden's commercial core with a significant population base in the Trolley District and East Bench.  Streetcars are a proven precedent for popular and efficient transportation as well as community vitality, and economic redevelopment.  The 25th Street and Harrison Corridors have the greatest need both in terms of sustainable transportation solutions, and also economic revitalization.  Any regional transportation investment - especially a $150 million dollar one should be based on the fundamental idea of revitalizing the core of Ogden as the core of Weber County.  A successful streetcar project will increase the likelihood of future streetcar projects in the region being developed - while a poorly planned and badly placed streetcar may become a case-in-point for anti-transit individuals and organizations.

The name Trolley District is a moniker of our past and our future; and for the city of Ogden, it has become a rallying cry for those dedicated to the revitalization of the City of Ogden!

Standard Examiner Article - We ask what is the REAL cost?

The article entitled "Cost may make streetcar placement irrelevant" by Charles Trentelman is an excellent summary of where we are at with this whole streetcar process - and why we need your letters to the Editor!  The points are well laid out in this article:

1. Community and stakeholders agree 25th street is best route
2. The cost estimates on all routes are out of control (we believe this is due to largely to over-engineering)
3. There has clearly been no longterm community or regional transportation planning
4. UTA goes with the easiest thing to do rather than planning and going with the right thing to do for the community!

Here is a link to the article...

IMPORTANT STREETCAR UPDATE

Dear Trolley District Neighbors,

It is with great frustration and disappointment that I am writing to you today.  We have suffered a major setback in our efforts to revitalize the city of Ogden and the Trolley District, with the promise of restoring urban rail transit.  The “Stakeholder” group that met yesterday, voted to move into the next phase of project development with the Washington-36th street alignment, also including “some language” about considering Washington-30th Street as a possible alternative.   While we are disappointed in this outcome, it is not unexpected for two reasons:  1.  UTA has clearly had a 36th Street outcome planned since the beginning of this process and has imposed this bias in all of the reports and meetings that have been held to date.  And 2.  UTA selected a “Stakeholder” committee that largely defies the definition of what a Stakeholder is...aside from our two Council Members and Mayor none of the stakeholders live in any proximity to the proposed streetcar, will likely never ride it, and have no direct-relationship to the effects of their decision in this matter.

We at the Trolley District are seriously disappointed in UTA’s continued disregard for the public that it is appointed to serve.  Even after meeting with our group and agreeing to a compromise of taking both the 36th street and the 25th street alignments into the next phase of project development, UTA in bad faith did not see this commitment through.  This outcome is just another example in a recent string of corruption and poor decision making on the part of a bureaucracy that is clearly out of control!

Now we must prepare for the upcoming community meeting where UTA expects to present their findings and receive public feedback as part of the formal public process.  We know that UTA sees this as a mere formality, but we need to show them that the public is invested in the future of our community! Please contact your city council person and tell them how you feel about streetcars, and ask them to look at a long-range plan for Harrison Boulevard so that this corridor does not become a 7-lane highway.  And, plan on being out if full force at the public comment meeting!  We have not heard the details yet on the time and place of the meeting, but we will let you know as soon as we hear anything!

Thank you for your continued support!

The Trolley District

Painting Historic Homes: A Color Guide

Restoring old homes is a passion of many of us here in the Trolley District.  However, getting started and doing a good job is often a tough chore due to the knowledge that is required.

One of the most vexing problems is knowing what color to paint a home.  There are plenty examples of homes painted so plainly that they simply are overlooked.  Others are painted so wildly that they offend the eye.  For this reason I wanted to plug a book that I have found to be a great resource for color choices.

Robert Schweitzer's Bungalow Colors is a guidebook to various paint schemes that will compliment homes built from 1905-1930...the Craftsman Era.  Not every home will benefit from these colors but the book will shed enough light on the subject to let you know what does and does not work.

So if you are wondering what color to paint your Craftman home, pick up a copy of this book today.

NOTE:  If your home is unpainted brick and you are tempted to paint it, contact one of us before you do so.  There may be another way to bring the brick back to life without damaging it forever.

Happy Restoring!

Trolley Tussle Threatens Transoportation

The Standard Examiner reported on a Weber Area Council Of Governments (WACOG) meeting at the county building recently.  The subject of the meeting was the dilemma of funding a Downtown Circulator route AND still preserve funds for the much larger WSU-Downtown line proposed by UTA.  Here are some excerpts:

(Ogden's mayor) Godfrey came back to WACOG Monday to answer more questions about the project after last month’s meeting, although he said he was not asking for the group to vote on whether to approve funds.

Ogden has a pretty small chance of getting a $21.4 Federal Transit Administration grant for the downtown streetcar circulator, he said, so if the city got the money he would then come back to get funding approval.     

WACOG would have to approve the estimated $5.1 million in matching f u n d s , o b t a i n e d from a quarter-cent sales tax approved by Weber voters in 2007.    

They also would have to approve between $750,000 and   $1 million a year in maintenance fees for the streetcar route.    Those numbers worried Weber County Commissioner Ken Bischoff. He said WACOG has been more focused on a long-term streetcar project connecting downtown Ogden with Weber State University and McKay-Dee Hospital Center.      

“Going out 10 years, we’ve got $10 million less in funding to build the route to the hospital,” he said, referring to the ongoing maintenance costs that would be coming from the transportation tax money.

Obviously, there has to be money in place to fund both projects.  It appears, given the scarcity of resources available, that this debate may come down deciding which project is more important.  If there is a way to make the Downtown Circulator work AND still build the WSU-Downtown line, then everyone wins.  However, if it comes down to making the hard choice, it may be wiser to continue pressing forward with the WSU-Downtown line given the time and energy already spent on bringing it to fruition.  It would be unfortunate to have recent efforts made to fund the Downtown Circulator sabatoge the promise of the WSU line.   

They're Putting Snow On 25th Street

For the first Ogden Winterfest, 25th street is being covered in snow for a variety of sports.

"It’s Ogden’s first Winterfest! We are hauling in and making snow to transform downtown into the ultimate winter celebration location. Toboggan parades, block parties, snowmobile street drag races, fireworks, concerts and skiing, snowboard and snowshoe sports demos are all part of the new tradition. This two-day celebration will play host to events like skijoring (skiing behind horses), snow sculpturing, a 5K race, as well as humorous competitions including human snow bowling, human dog sled races, and doggy look alike contests. Come participate or watch. The best part is—it’s free!"

For more information visit the 25th street web site.

Trolley District in the News

Residents of the Trolley District would like to commend the Standard Examiner for their January 31, 2010 Editorial regarding the proposed Downtown-WSU streetcar project.  We agree! UTA needs to hear from the public at large regarding this proposal!  Stay tuned to find out more about upcoming public meetings and events relating to this issue.

Trolley Research trip pictures

Meet the Larsens

This story appeared on the cover of last week's Standard Examiner.  It is a great story about something that Travis and I have worked very hard on for the last 8-years - our home and our community!  As you can see from the photos, we have quite a bit of work left to finish - including putting the fretwork back up on the front porch!

ogden-couple-turns-blackened-shell-old-house-place-live

The story is by Charles F. Trentelman, and the photos (including the one shown here) by Beth Schlanker.