"They completely ignored what the public wants," said Trolley District resident Shalae Larsen, who believes the 25th Street alignment is more likely to get federal funding based on public support. "The whole pubic process is a farce. There is no public process."
But Ogden Mayor Matthew Godfrey, who was on the stakeholders committee, said the study was rigorous. "It's been a year now worth of study," Godfrey said. "It's all data-driven."
Informative story in this morning's Deseret News, illuminating the dilemma of Ogden City public transit activists who've been working feverishly to revive the central core of Ogden City, through construction of an east-west streetcar corridor through Ogden's aptly-named Trolley District:
• Ogden weighs streetcar placementDespite the vigorous participation of Ogden Citizens in the public planning process at every formal opportunity, UTA bureaucrats have been essentially working behind closed doors, and remarkably contend that Ogden residents "entered the conversation late in the process."
And we have to admit we just loved this Gerry Carpenter quote, which impliedly says, "To hell with Ogden's Central City": "[I]n modern times, the south end of Ogden and neighboring South Ogden also could use mass transit," which again raises the question, "What -- or whom --- is driving UTA on this southerly route?"
Notwithstanding the fact that it appears that UTA bureaucrats already have their minds made up, this morning's DNews story announces that another public open house has been scheduled for an unspecified date in September. If there's anyone in our WCF reader audience who can provide us the precise date and time, we'll set to work to organize a properly energized, pitchfork and torch totin' citizen welcoming committee:
Have at it, O Gentle Ones. Who will be the first to chime in?
2 comments:
What? Expecting UTA to actually solicit and take seriously the opinions of the people who actually ride the buses and trolleys? What are you, some kind of Bolshevik?
Follow the money right on up to the south bench; those who use public trans least want a picturesque little amenity that they will only use rarely, if at all.
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