Standard-Examiner: Ogden City Council Relinquishes Streetcar Dream For Now

Laughably, at least one UTA official attempts to paint this decision in an optimistic light

Just like clockwork, the Standard-Examiner provides a morning story which we foreshadowed earlier this month. Cutting to the chase, on Tuesday night, it seems the Ogden City Council delivered the Ogden Streetcar Project, ten years in the making, its final Coup de Grace.   Here's Cathy McKitrick's lede, folks;

OGDEN — In a 4-1 vote Tuesday, the Ogden City Council propelled the city forward on a transit path that had been scrutinized for more than a decade.
The selected 5.3-mile route will connect the city’s Intermodal Transit Center at 2350 S. Wall Avenue to Weber State University, the Dee Events Center and McKay Dee Hospital by way of 25th Street and Harrison Boulevard. And Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) was chosen over streetcar as the mode of transit, mostly due to cost. While a light-rail streetcar system would run about $220 million, BRT comes in around $60 million.
“There truly was a lot of good information for either mode and route,” said Bill Cook, executive director for the City Council. “But when it came down to it, it’s viewed that this route and mode are affordable and doable.”

Read the full story, folks:

• Ogden City Council relinquishes streetcar dream for now

Laughably. at least one UTA official attempts to paint this decision in an optimistic light:

Utah Transit Authority Project Manager Hal Johnson held out the possibility that BRT could actually serve as a stepping stone to streetcar some time in the future.
“Looking at BRT versus streetcar, there’s a bigger upside with the streetcar,” Johnson said. “But it’s going to be very hard to obtain in the local and federal funding climate that we’re in.” But by moving forward with this project, Johnson said it “sets some stones across the river so we can continue to progress . . . and this can evolve into something different and more as the community changes and evolves as well.”

Our take, Ogden Streetcar fanciers?  Don't hold your breaths for an early revival. Stick a fork into it... if you take our meaning.

Standard-Examiner: Our View: Ogden Needs a Clean Transit Route - Updated

Kiss your dreams of a downtown fixed rail system bye-bye, folks

Via the Standard-Examiner, we'll cast the spotlight on this afternoon's UTA open house and followup City Council Meeting, in anticipation of where a final decision concerning Ogden City's long awaited downtown public transit mode and route from Ogden’s transit hub at 25th Street and Wall Avenue to the university and hospital:

Today, at 4 p.m., Utah Transit Authority and Ogden City host an open house presenting the preferred route and mode of public transit to connect downtown to Weber State University and McKay Dee Hospital. It’s in the third floor lobby of the Ogden Municipal Building, 2549 Washington Blvd. Afterwards, the council meets in 3rd floor chambers at 6 p.m. where the same information is presented, followed by a public hearing where opinions and concerns can be expressed. Get your voice heard there. On July 28, the City Council will vote to adopt the route and mode.

Here's the full story, WCF readers:

• Our View: Ogden needs a clean transit route

The Standard is fully aboard UTA's "preferred" route and mode, the plan which seems to be chiseled in granite, of course:

We think that the Technical Advisory Committee made the right decision to pick Bus Rapid Transit running along 25th Street to connect downtown Ogden to Weber State University and the McKay-Dee Hospital, both accessed via Harrison Boulevard on the east side of the city.

Kiss your dreams of a downtown fixed rail system bye-bye, folks.

Update 7/9/15 11:22 a.m.:  The Standard is johnny on the spot with this post-mortem report.  The headline tells the whole story, wethinks:

• Many in Ogden still desire a streetcar

Savvy comment from WCF regular Bob Becker, wethink:

An earlier story on this had someone (with UTA?) noting that a BRT route via 25th would "replace" the 603 bus, currently the most heavily used bus route in Ogden. But BRT will, as planned, have fewer stops between downtown and WSU, resulting in less public transit service all along the route, not more. I am still concerned that UTA continues to look upon this upgrade as primarily a Frontrunner to WSU and back enhancement, not one to imorove service over the whole current 603 route. And BRT will imorove the Frontrunner to WSU time less than two minutes. And have a fraction of the TOD impact rail would have. BRT seems like a penny-wise pound-foolish long term decision to me.

"Penny-wise pound-foolish long term decision?"  Yes.  We heartily agree.

Standard-Examiner: UTA Says Weber Transit Service Would Have Many Riders

We'll be keeping our eyes peeled, and fingers crossed, of course, as the UTA plods forward within the bureaucratic constraints of  this this ridiculously tedious Ogden Transit Study process

There's encouraging news for Ogden City streetcar fanciers this morning, as the Standard-Examiner's Mitch Shaw reports on the results of Tuesday's Ogden City Council Joint Work Session, wherein the Council received a a Transit Study update from Utah Transit Authority officials. Here's Mr. Shaw's lede:

OGDEN — If a public transit service between downtown Ogden, Weber State University and McKay-Dee Hospital ever becomes a reality, the Utah Transit Authority says it won’t be hurting for riders.
UTA officials met with the Ogden City Council Tuesday night to discuss progress on a nearly $900,000 transit study that is measuring the merits of a new transit system that would connect downtown Ogden to the campuses of WSU and McKay-Dee.

Here's the full story, folks:

• UTA says Weber transit service would have many riders

And here's the "kicker":

Jim McNulty, a strategic planner with UTA, told council members that by the year 2040, ridership numbers on the system could ultimately reach 8,000 per day. Ridership estimates for when the service initially begins aren’t available yet.
“We’re finding that we would have the ridership there when we open it up,” McNulty said. “We’ll have more precise information (on early ridership numbers) in about a month, but it’s looking good so far.”
McNulty said UTA’s new Sugar House streetcar system, which opened in December, is seeing about 1,000 riders each day.
“So obviously, seven to eight thousand (daily riders on the Ogden line) is a great number,” he said.

“We keep hearing streetcar, streetcar, streetcar.” “Weber State has indicated that that’s what they want, and we’ve heard that from (the public) as well,” Mr. McNulty adds.

We'll therefore be keeping our eyes peeled, and fingers crossed, of course, as the UTA plods forward within the bureaucratic constraints of  this ridiculously tedious Ogden Transit Study process.

Big Meeting Tonight: Ogden-Weber State University Transit Project Study Open House - Updated

Tonight's meeting provides an ideal chance for Ogden lumpenitizens to finally and forcefully throw in your own 2¢.

As a followup to Friday's Ogden Streetcar topical heads-up, here's a dunning reminder of this evening's special community event, whereby all Ogden residents are invited to "join UTA representatives, project partners and local officials at an open house to kick off the Ogden-Weber State University Transit Project Study":

Click to Enlarge Image

Ogden Streetcar fanciers have been craving an Ogden Streetcar System since as far back as 2005.

Tonight's meeting provides an ideal chance for Ogden lumpenitizens to finally and forcefully throw in your own 2¢.

We thus urge all streetcar proponents to mark your calenders and be in attendance.

Update 6/27/14 9:00 a.m.:  Better late than never, the Standard-Examiner provides a post meeting report concerningWednesday's UTA Open House:

• Major Ogden transit project taking shape

"By the end of this year, Ogden should have a pretty good idea of what the future of transit will look like in the city," the SE's Mitch Shaw reports.

Overpaid Bureaucrats of The Utah Transit Authority Hold a Community Open House

Good news for Ogden Streetcar fanciers!

The insipid and highly overpaid bureaucrats of The Utah Transit Authority will hold a community open house from 5 to 7 p.m. June 25 at Ogden High School, 2828 Harrison Blvd. UTA spokesman Remi Barron said the meeting will serve as a “public kickoff” for a plan that aims to shuttle people between downtown Ogden and Weber State University and McKay-Dee Hospital. Formal public comments will be collected at the open house and integrated into the study.

• $845K Ogden Transit Project study hearing set

Mark your calenders. peeps!

Standard-Examiner: Ogden OKs Transit System Study From Intermodal Hub to WSU to McKay-Dee

Dare we ask the question? Is an Ogden Streetcar system finally in our future?

At risk of coming off as a mite late to the party, we'll shine the spotlight on a story from yesterday's Standard-Examiner, reporting on the result of one agenda item on Tuesday night's Ogden City Council calender, representing what we believe to be a most significant and too-long-coming milestone in Ogden City public transit advocates' effort to establish a high-quality transit system between Ogden’s downtown corridor and the campuses of WSU and the Dee-McKay Hospital.  Here's the gist:

OGDEN — The once-stalled Ogden streetcar project is now gaining some major forward momentum.
The city council adopted a joint resolution Tuesday night, authorizing a study for a transit system connecting the Utah Transit Authority Intermodal Hub, Weber State University and McKay-Dee Hospital.
Officials said that, ideally, the study will result in a high-quality transit system between Ogden’s downtown corridor and the campuses of WSU and the hospital.
“Ultimately, we want to identify a project that can be taken to construction and built,” said Hal Johnson, UTA manager of project development.

Read the full story here, folks:

• Ogden OKs transit system study from intermodal hub to WSU to McKay-Dee

Yes, it's been a long haul. Except for one dismal and knuckle-headed distraction which took this project off-track for at least half a decade, Ogden City lumpencitizens and Northern Utah commuters might have been otherwise on the verge of enjoying the comfort and convenience of a cross-town public transit system amenity years ago.

We've sat on our collective thumbs here in Ogden for years, whilst our more aggressive and better-focused neighbors to the south now put the finishing touches on their own cross-town, high-quality transit system project, even as we speak.

A Weber County Forum Tip "O the Hat to the Ogden City Council for at last placing this project on the front burner, where it clearly belongs.

Dare we ask the question?  Is an Ogden Streetcar System finally in our future?

Standard-Examiner: Ogden Transit Project Talk Revving Up - Updated

The city needs to step forward and commit.” “That’s an important move.” - Council Director Bill Cook

In the aftermath of this encouraging 3/15/13 Standard-Examiner story, and notwithstanding the Standard's nay-saying 3/27/13 thumbs-down, the Standard again carries another timely Ogden Streetcar project-related story which might rekindle the time-dimmed hopes of Ogden City street car advocates, on the heels of  Tuesday's (4/9/13) Ogden City Council work session:

"After a long period of inactivity, discussion on the possible Ogden streetcar is heating up again. Officials from Utah Transit Authority, Wasatch Front Regional Council and Utah Department of Transportation participated in an Ogden City Council work session Tuesday night, discussing the future of the Ogden Transit Project," reports S-E reporter Mitch Shaw, in yesterday's online story.

• Ogden Transit Project talk revving up

$745,000 Study

Despite the daunting estimated $745,000 cost of yet another UTA-sponsored study, which would intricately delve into projected cost, ridership, alignment and mode parameters, we're hearing noises from some in Ogden City government that it's time to get moving on this project:

“The city needs to step forward and commit.” “That’s an important move,” says Council Director Bill Cook.

"Whatever the outcome may be, the need to develop a transit corridor to WSU is not just an Ogden city need, it’s a regional need." “There so many people tied to Weber State,“and they aren’t all just living in Ogden," says Ogden Mayor mike Caldwell, who also hedges a bit, street-car-wise, with the cautionary proviso that "the city is [also] looking to find out the cost-per-mile difference between a streetcar and a modified Bus Rapid Transit system, which has also been discussed as a potential outcome."

Cook adds that "a joint resolution between the city administration and the council, indicating the city’s intention to move forward with the study, would need to be adopted by May 21," in which connection we'll be keeping a close eye out in the event that such a proposed resolution agenda item does suddenly pop up.

Meanwhile, Mr. Cook and others will be apparently doing some frantic deep dredging of possible "Ogden Streetcar White-Knight donors," such as the Wasatch Front Regional Council, the Utah Department of Transportation and the ever-cash-flush Weber Area Council of Governments (WACOG), to find out who might be willing to help raise another measly 745 thousand bucks, we guess.

Update 4/12/13 12:10 p.m.: There's more on this story from ABC Channel 4, emphasizing Weber State University student passenger demand:


Don't let the cat get your tongues..

Salt Lake Tribune: Many in Ogden Still Dream of Streetcar Connection

Isn't it time for Ogden Streetcar advocates to began needling the City Council and the Caldwell administration to get the stalled Ogden Streetcar Project back on track?

After nearly an eight-month lull, Ogden City Street Car proponents will be interested to read yesterday's Cathy McKitrick story from the Salt Lake Tribune, which brings the proposed Ogden Streetcar Project back to the public discussion forefront:

• Many in Ogden still dream of streetcar connection

Now that the single greatest local political obstacle to this project has been removed from the political mix, isn't it time for Ogden streetcar advocates to began needling the the City Council and the Caldwell administration to get this stalled project back on track?

Here's the Ogden City government contact link, folks, for those who'd like to take immediate action:

• Contact Local Officials

The floor's also open for those who'd like to throw in their own 2¢.

Standard-Examiner: Ogden Council to Hear Streetcar Input Tonight

Here's a quick heads up concerning tonight's Ogden City Council work session, where a discussion of the Streetcar Project is on the agenda. In this connection, the Standard-Examiner carries a Mitch Shaw story this morning, from which we'll incorporate the lede:

OGDEN -- The great Ogden streetcar debate is set to heat up again. The Ogden City Council will hold a special fact-finding work session tonight to discuss the viability of a streetcar project in the city.
The meeting will be held in the council chambers at the Ogden Municipal Building, 2549 Washington Blvd., immediately following the city's regular council meeting, which begins at 6 p.m.

Here's the full SE story:

• Ogden council to hear streetcar input tonight

For the highly detail-oriented among us, we provide a separate announcement from the Ogden City Council staff, and tonight's work session packet:

• Fact Finding Work Session Scheduled To Discuss Ogden Streetcar Project
• 01/10 City Council Work Session Packet

We'll leave the lights on of course in the lower comments section, for anyone who'd like to lodge their remarks or reports before, during or after tonight's meeting.

Update 1/10/12 6:25 p.m.: Dan S. is now live blogging from the City Council Chambers (wethinks).

Update 1/11/12 7:30 a.m.: The Standard carries the post council work session story:

OGDEN -- The likelihood of securing federal funding remains one of the biggest issues in bringing a streetcar system to Ogden.At a special work session held after Tuesday night's Ogden City Council meeting, an independent consultant hired by the city said while the federal funding landscape is unpredictable, the Ogden project would stack up well against other projects around the nation competing for the same funding.

Read the full story here:

• Adviser: Plan local funding, but federal money likely for Ogden streetcar

Standard-Examiner: Next Stop for (Faux) Trolley Report -- Analysis

Does this morning's story provide yet more evidence that Little Lord Godfrey has finally lost his marbles (to adopt highly-technical psychiatric terminology)?

The Standard-Examiner reports this morning that "[Ogden] city has compiled a ridership report that shows about 26,000 passengers have used two trolley-style buses that have looped around the downtown area for 10 months," and that the report "has been submitted to the Wasatch Front Regional Council and the Utah Transit Authority for analysis." This analysis would ostensibly determine whether a permanant "streetcar cirulater" (which would "loop" through two [easily walkable] blocks within the downtown area, and would soak the Ogden taxpayers with a cool 5 million bucks in "upfront money," plus $1 million per year in operating costs), might (in some wacky alternate universe) qualify for a grant of $25 million in federal funds:

• Next stop for trolley report -- analysis

Three questions:

1) Who will be paying for this percipient UTA analysis? (not the beleaguered Ogden taxpayers, we hope).
2) Does this "loopy" Godfrey project belong right up there near the top of the "short list" of other boneheaded Godfrey projects, right along with "crackpot flatland gondola" and "the loonybird ice tower"?
3) Does this morning's story provide yet more evidence that Little Lord Godfrey has finally lost his marbles (to adopt a highly-technical psychiatric term)?

Have at it, O Gentle Ones...

Standard-Examiner: Godfrey Bashes Streetcar Proposal to City Council

Mick Crandall: "If every transportation project that didn't have enough funding at this stage were to be abandoned, we would have no transportation projects at all and we'd be getting around on foot."

The Standard is reporting this morning about Boss Godfrey's reaction to a new UTA streetcar proposal, which was apparently discussed at last night's City Council meeting as a non agenda,"new business" item. Here's the lede:

OGDEN -- Mayor Matthew Godfrey is questioning what he describes as a radically different proposal from Utah Transit Authority to build a streetcar system from downtown to Weber State University and McKay-Dee Hospital for $35 million less than originally projected.

Read the full story here:

• Godfrey bashes streetcar proposal to city council

With a mere 2-1/2 months remaining until the lame duck Boss Godfrey's ushered out of office, you'd think he'd give his feverish opposition to a cross-town streetcar system a rest. But no, the streetcar proposal wasn't his idea and he'll therefore rage against it forever, we suppose.

Kudos to the city Council for keeping the concept alive, by the way. So long as the project isn't deep-sixed, we can expect clever designers, engineers and numbers-crunchers to continue to tweak the design and financing parameters, just as the UTA people seem to have now done. If the project had been put to rest as Boss Godfrey had earlier demanded of course, the issue of further prospective cost savings would be a dead letter.

Remember, as the UTA's Mick Crandall said at a Streetcar Stakeholders meeting in early July of this year, "If every transportation project that didn't have enough funding at this stage were to be abandoned, we would have no transportation projects at all and we'd be getting around on foot."

That's it for now.

Who'll be the first to chime in?

A Couple of Weber County Forum Topical Items Set For Tomorrow Night's Council Calenders - Updated

Professional Services Contracts and The Streetcar Project Are On The Agendas

In advance of tomorrow night's (August 23, 2011) Ogden City Council sessions we'll provide this heads-up concerning a couple of agenda items which ought to be of particular interest to our WCF readership:

1) Professional Services Contracts. At 6:00 p.m., a regular City Council meeting will convene, to consider the following item, among other things:

7. New Business: ...b. Professional Services Contracts – Timing of Waiver and Notice. Proposed Ordinance 2011-45 amending Section 4-2B-9 to revise exceptions for contract approval. (Adopt/not adopt ordinance – roll call vote)

In a nutshell, council action on this item would result in the amendment of Section 4-2B-9 of the Ogden City Code to require any mayoral waivers of competitive bidding to be signed "on or before the date of execution of a contract and filed with the office of city council within 10 days after execution of a contract."

Rather than launch into an elaborate explanation of the rationale for this ordinance amendment, we'll instead refer our readers to the Ogden Ethics Project (OEP) blog, where OEP Director Dan Schroeder provides a masterful, detailed description of the underlying deficiency in the current ordinance and the reasoning behind this proposed municipal code revision:

• Council Proposes to Ban Retroactive Bidding Waivers

For the full litany of information about this and all other items set for discussion on tomorrow night's regular council meeting calender, check out the full council packet here:

• 08/23 City Council Regular Session

2) Ogden Streetcar Project. Following tomorrow night's above-described regular council meeting, the council will then convene for a work session to receive an update on the Ogden Streetcar Project, and to discuss the report provided to the policy committee and any feedback received from that group:

We tangentially touched upon tomorrow night's streetcar topic discussion in Sunday's WCF article; but for the full lowdown about what's on the table for tomorrow's work session, interested readers should check out tomorrow night's council packet, which includes almost the whole array of summaries, reports and other supporting documents generated for the project to date:

• 08/23 City Council Work Session

That's it for now, Weber County Forum readers. In the interim between now and tomorrow night's council sessions, we'll welcome pre-meeting comments from anyone who'd like to throw in their own 2¢.

And needless to say, we'll also leave the lights on for anyone who wants to report back here (of course), during or after tomorrow night's meetings.

The floor's open. Feel free to let 'er rip.

Update 8/24/11 7:58 a.m.: The Standard reports that "the city council agreed during [last night's] work session that its consultant GB Arrington, who works for PB PlaceMaking Inc., based in Portland, Ore., should determine the viability of federal funding and economic impact of a streetcar system linking downtown, Weber State University and McKay-Dee Hospital."
"We want to take the next step and find out if the project is even feasible," said City Council Chairwoman Caitlin K. Gochnour:

• Godfrey wants to halt streetcar proposal

Oddly enough, our petulant little "naysayer" Mayor, with a mere four months remaining in his final lame-duck tern of office, still drags his feet and complains about the Council's judiciousness in this matter. "The council should wait to pursue the streetcar project when technology becomes less expensive and federal funding is more readily available," he said.

Standard-Examiner: WSU Tells Ogden a Streetcar System is Desired

Added bonus... a further demonstration of the Council's commitment to diligently examine all options regarding the Streetcar matter

Despite the nay-saying posture of the Standard-Examiner editorial board late last month, it looks to us like the Ogden Streetcar Project got a significant shot in the arm during Thursday night's special on-WSU-campus council work session, in which "Weber State University officials" made it clear to the city: "They really (really, really, really) want a streetcar system":

• WSU tells Ogden a streetcar system is desired

We're also particularly impressed by the expressions of commitment from several of our Ogden City Council members. Here's a strong quote from Doug Stephens:

Councilman Doug Stephens suggested that the city and the university need to come together to send a message about how important the project is.
"This is very important to us. We need to say it to Mr. Jones in North Ogden," who may not understand why the city would spend money on a project he would never use, Stephens said.

Council Chair Gochnour's quote ain't half bad either:

Gochnour assured the WSU higher-ups at the meeting that the council, at least, is unified in wanting to see the streetcar system materialize.
"There's a point where we have to just get moving," she said.

And as an added bonus... and a further demonstration of the Council's commitment to diligently examine all options regarding the Streetcar matter, check out this Standard-Examiner online guest editorial piece, signed by ALL SEVEN Ogden Council Members:

• Response to streetcar editorial

Too funny. First time within memory that our council has been unanimous on anything, yes?

That's it for now O Gentle Ones.

Who'll be the first to chime in on this topic?

Standard-Examiner: "Big Bill" Derails Ogden Streetcar Idea

The stalling and ultimate killing-off of an Ogden Streetcar system -- one of Boss Godfrey's most significant self-perceived mayoral achievements?

Disheartening news for Ogden Streetcar advocates this morning, as the Standard announces that "Mayor Matthew Godfrey says his administration has abandoned a proposed $160 million streetcar system because the price has derailed the project":

• Big bill derails Ogden streetcar idea

It appears, at least at this point nevertheless, that our Ogden City Council intends to "soldier on," keeping alive PB PlaceMaking, Inc. consultant GB Arrington's ongoing streetcar "viability" study and also possibly commissioning a further "'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." Nothing wrong, we think, in getting our municipal "ducks lined up," in the event that favorable Streetcar funding opportunities might somehow materialize in the future.

In the short run however, it may be that Boss Godfrey may have a legitimate point, if an $80 million construction price tag is an accurate estimate. A transportation project of that magnitude would indeed be an extremely tough nut for the Ogden taxpayers to crack. And we'll go on to speculate that upon his retirement from "public service" in January of next year, Boss Godfrey, (who was denied his precious Gondola system by many of the same people who've strongly advocated for a cross-town streetcar system), will consider the stalling and ultimate killing-off of an Ogden Streetcar to be one of the most significant self-perceived paybacks achievements of his 12-year reign of mayoral petulance and tyranny.

So who will be the first to throw in their own 2¢? Is the Streetcar idea truly dead, or merely on life support? Will Boss Godfrey get the last laugh on this? Does a lame duck mayor's abandonment of a popular proposed project have any real significance at all in the long run?

The world-wide blogosphere eagerly awaits our WCF readers' ever-savvy perspectives on these important and intriguing questions.

Streetcar Consultant GB Arrington Set to Address Council Work Session Tonight - Updated

Updated 4X: The Standard-Examiner has the last word

Here's a quick heads up for Ogden Streetcar proponents. Although the Council/RDA Board are mainly preoccupied by budget preparation business this evening, there's a streetcar-related item on the Council work session agenda in which you might want to sit in. On May 4 we reported that the Council had retained the services of PB PlaceMaking, Inc. consultant GB Arrington, who will be working to "marry what the city is trying to do with what UTA has already done," in order to get the Godfrey-hijacked streetcar planning process back on track. According to the work session Council packet displayed below, Mr. Arrington will be back before the Council this evening, for the purpose of discussing Ogden Streetcar options:

• 06/07 City Council Work Session Packet

We'll leave the lights on of course, for anyone who'd like to check in here with the play-by-play of tonight's work session.

Update 6/8/11 8:00 a.m.: For a good, concise report on last night's work session, and a rundown of new developments since last fall, don't miss Dan's writeup, in the comment section below. In addition, Mr. Schwebke also provides his own post-meeting story on the SE site:

• Ogden may pause streetcar project

Update 6/8/11 2:22 p.m.: Just when we thought this story was all tapped out... we now find Dan S. reporting from today's so-called "stakeholders meeting at WSU":

Great remark from WSU's Norm Tarbox:

"Most of the stakeholders around this table (he says) don't matter. All that matters is Ogden City and UDOT. Until those two get on the same page, the rest of us might as well not even be here."

Click the below comments link to listen in...

Update 6/8/11 7:26 p.m.: Thanks to the sharp eyes of Gentle Reader Dan S., we now learn that the Salt Lake Tribune's Cathy McKitrick is all over this story, too:

• Ogden streetcar on hold while new route studied

Councilwoman Wicks hits the nail squarely on the head with this savvy quote, wethinks:

"I haven’t heard a single citizen supporting the 36th Street alignment," said Councilwoman Amy Wicks. "I’ve had people from all walks of life who never agree on anything come forward and say 25th Street, down Harrison or not at all."

Our compliments to Ms. McKitrick for the great writeup, and to Ms. Wicks for telling it like it is.

Update 6/9/11 7:42 a.m.: This morning's Standard-Examiner reports on the outcome of yesterday's meeting, where Ogden Streetcar stakeholders "put the brakes on a proposed $156 million streetcar system Wednesday so a city council consultant can review a study associated with the project":

• $156M Ogden streetcar study to be reviewed

Fascinating political study on how relatively easy it was for Boss Godfrey and his fellow 36th Street corridor "gondola" proponents to derail the more logical 25th Street route, and contrarily, how relatively difficult (and expensive) it was for our Ogden City Council to get the project back even somewhat on track.

Wednesday Morning Emerald City News Roundup

Conciliation and compromise are the order of the day

A couple of Standard-Examiner news items worthy of note:

1) Scott Schwebke reports on last night's RDA meeting, in which prospective River Project developer Steve Peterson, a principal with Millrock Capital, asked for concessions regarding the size and construction schedule for "apartments." Tellingly, they're not even bothering to refer to them as "condominiums" any longer :

• Developer asks for apartment changes

Sadly, it appears that tiny tenement-style residential rental units may now set the River Project tone.

2) After several stinging broadsides by the Standard-Examiner (and others), it appears that Chief Greiner may be adopting a more conciliatory attitude toward the Council's proposal to place a pharmaceutical drop-box within the Ogden City Public Safety Building lobby:

• Department, Ogden council can work out concerns over drop box

Yeah, Chief Greiner devotes considerable column space toward explaining why the lock box concept is a non-starter; but in the end he seems to suggest "[c]oncerns can be worked out," no?

Update 5/11/11 9:51 a.m.: Per Dan S... "Rudi, you missed at least two great articles in the Trib":

• Ogden Council agrees on streetcar up 25th Street
• Utah’s big political donors have friends in high places

Yesiree, folks. There's plenty to chat about this mornin'.

Standard-Examiner: Ogden City Council Hears Transit Analysis

What's important now is to recognize that the process of constructing a 25th Street Street car system has been at least temporarily derailed

Bad news this morning for 25th Street Street car corridor advocates, as the Standard-Examiner reports that it could require another two years, and a new UTA study to support the City Council's preference that a "streetcar run from the Intermodal Hub up 23rd Street to Washington Boulevard, along 25th Street to Harrison Boulevard, and on to Weber State University and McKay-Dee Hospital":

• Ogden City Council hears transit analysis

Central city streetcar corridor advocates have stood by in amazement as UTA bureaucrats have hijacked the Transit Corridor Alternatives Analysis process, rejecting the 2005 Baker Study's preferred 25th street corridor, and substituting the boneheaded Wilbur Smith & Assocs.'s 36th Street preferred alignment instead. We don't know why this has happened; but we do believe there's ample evidence to suggest that the process was rigged. We won't go further into possible motives here, except to note that it has been repeatedly suggested that Flatland Gondola advocates, who've wanted to keep a central city transit corridor clear for a possible gondola, may have had a hand in the process.

What's important now is not to dwell on opposition motives however, but rather to recognize that the process of constructing a 25th Street Street car system has been at least temporarily derailed, in which connection we'll urge our City Council to scrupulously follow PB PlaceMaking, Inc. consultant GB Arrington's advice, and to somehow "marry what the city is trying to do with what UTA has already done," in order to get the process back on track.

That's it for now, O Gentle Ones.

Who'll be the first to chime in to further enlighten us on the meaning of all this?

Streetcar Project To Be Discussed Tonight By Ogden City Council - Updated

3/29/11 City Council Notes

By: Brandon Chase Bell
Trolley District Community Advisory Network

A City Council Work Session is scheduled for tonight immediately following the Special City Council Meeting at 6:00 p.m. (there is not a set time for the Work Session, rather it begins immediately after the Special Council Meeting ends, which based on past experience has been approximately 7:00-7:15 or so).

In addition to discussing the Open Space Plan, the City Council will discuss the Streetcar Project and “options regarding the “preferred alternative” for the Ogden/Weber Transit Corridor Alternatives Analysis. Also, Council member Van Hooser will give a presentation on transit issues based on a recent Rail-volution Conference she attended.

Meeting Information:

Ogden City Council Work Session

March 29, 2011 – immediately following the Special Council

Meeting that begins at 6:00 p.m.

City Council Chambers – Third Floor

Municipal Building, 2549 Washington Boulevard

Streetcar Project Update and Issues to Be Discussed:

Important City Council Letter Sent on February 14^th, 2011 to WFRC, UDOT, and UTA

The information packet for the meeting contains a lengthy review of the Streetcar Project and efforts to bring a modern transit system to the Ogden area. It states that, most recently the city council sent a letter to the Wasatch Front Regional Council, Utah Department of Transportation and Utah Transit Authority on February 14^th, shortly following the City Council meeting in January with the WFRC where UTA, and UDOT representatives were also present.

The text from the City Council’s letter relating to Harrison Boulevard and the Streetcar Project are as follows (as contained in the information packet for tonight’s meeting):

Harrison Boulevard

1. We [the Ogden City Council] are interested in pursuing a corridor study for Harrison Boulevard with UDOT as the lead agency and are willing to contribute 50% of the funding required for the study (contingent upon the Mayor agreeing). We request that this study commence as soon as possible.This corridor study will assist the City with decisions that need to be made relative to the Transit Alternatives Analysis and needed operational improvements can be clearly defined.

2. We have concerns with the proposed expansion of US 89 south of Harrison Blvd. and how this increased traffic would be handled by either Harrison or Washington. Further information would be helpful.

Transit Alternatives Analysis

3. We feel strongly that 25th Street should be an alternative route in the Transit Alternatives Analysis and be shown as such in the 2040 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). We were surprised that the mode for the “Ogden Streetcar Project” was changed from streetcar to bus rapid transit in the plan. We look forward to receiving a recommendation from the project’s stakeholder group and considering the options further. (Emphasis added)

This letter is significant news in the streetcar project and it’s long history. Many Ogden residents feel that a 25^th-Harrison alignment has been needlessly ruled-out as an option. There has been longstanding, consistent, and overwhelming public support voiced in Ogden for a 25^th-Harrison streetcar alignment. Our City Council has now taken the opportunity to formally request that it not be ruled out as an alternative, and that a 25^th-Harrison alignment be taken forward as a potential alignment in the final Alternatives Analysis, that will eventually be finalized and released by UTA.

We are glad that the City Council has acknowledged this public support of a 25^th-Harrison alignment and given voice to the will of Ogden residents in writing this letter to the Wasatch Front Regional Council, Utah Department of Transportation, and the Utah Transit Authority. Additionally, the City Council has also responded in this letter to UTA’s sudden change of plans in suggesting a Bus-Rapid Transit as the transit mode, when for quite some time now, the general consensus and discussion has revolved primarily around a streetcar system.

Tonight’s meeting is an important moment in the process of bringing a modern transit system to Ogden, hopefully along the right route, and the right mode of transit. As the meeting is a City Council Work Session, public comment is not allowed. However, attendance tonight is important to show continued public support for a 25^th-Harrison Streetcar alignment, and a streetcar system, as opposed to UTA’s recent suggestion of a Bus Rapid Transit project. Please attend tonight’s meeting and be sure to express your support, in person, to members of the City Council for a 25^th- Harrison alignment, and for a streetcar transit system specifically, both before and after the meeting.

Update 3/30/11 9:00 a.m.: For those following the Street Car Topic discussion, one of our gentle readers who attended last night's council meeting provides the following meeting summary concerning the council's posture on the 25^th- Harrison alignment:

• Summary of 3/29/11 City Council Meeting

Standard-Examiner: Clang, Clang, Clang - The New Free Trolley Goes All Around Downtown Ogden

The starry-eyed Boss Godfrey is still sticking to his facially-absurd story that this hokey downtown short route shuttle is some kind of greater street car ridership experiment

Well, the magic moment has arrived, folks... the golden day Emerald City citizens have been eagerly awaiting. Starting this week, Boss Godfrey's faux trolleys will be traversing a short circular downtown loop, ferrying enthusiastic riders round and round and round the downtown Ogden business district, in a dizzying array of Dowtown Ogden-centiric "right turns." Scott Schwebke provides the lowdown in this morning's Standard-Examiner story:

• Clang, clang, clang - The new free trolley goes all around downtown Ogden

Weirdly enough, the starry-eyed Boss Godfrey huckster is still at least loosely sticking to his absurd story that this hokey downtown short route shuttle bus represents some kind of greater overall street car ridership experiment:

The trolley replicas are part of a yearlong experiment to determine whether there is adequate ridership to support a permanent streetcar system within the downtown corridor, said Mayor Matthew Godfrey.

The more level-headed Dan Musgrave however, does advance a more rational argument for the justification of this taxpayer-funded downtown fake trolley conveyance:

Dan Musgrave, executive director of Downtown Ogden Inc., said the trolley replicas will help alleviate parking issues while providing needed transportation.
"People will be able to hop on the trolley and will be able to ride all over downtown."

Yes, we do believe that Mr. Musgrave, unlike Boss Godfrey, does at least make a fair point.

New Downtown Businesses and Faux Trolleys Coming Soon

Part of a forward trend for downtown, or just a temporary lurch?

By Dan Schroeder

With all the recent election-related news, this blog almost overlooked two interesting items in the Thursday Standard-Examiner.

First was this article in the Business section, describing in more detail than ever before the plans to open three new outdoor equipment shops in downtown Ogden: Recreation Outlet at 2324 Washington; Ogden ROX at 2314 Washington; and G4G Adventure Sports and Gear at 2348 Kiesel. All three are promised to open around mid-November, and should be welcome additions to The Junction and the block just across from it on Washington Blvd.

The article also mentions that a pair of affiliated software companies, DAKCS and PDC4U, have recently relocated from Mount Ogden Plaza (near St. Benedict’s Manor and Mt. Ogden Park) to the new Wells Fargo Building in The Junction. Although this relocation doesn’t appear to be any net gain for Ogden, it does lessen the embarrassment caused by that brand new building being mostly empty and previously attracting only two tenants, both from across the street.

The gradual leasing of empty space in and around The Junction is, of course, good news for downtown Ogden. Let’s hope these latest additions are part of a continuing trend, and not just a temporary forward lurch.

Meanwhile, hidden in the Weber Plus section of Thursday’s paper, at the bottom of the monthly Ogden City advertisement, was another interesting item:

Yes ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, Ogden’s rubber-tired faux trolleys will soon be up and running! Regular readers will recall that Mayor Godfrey harassed the Weber Area Council of Governments for several months until they finally relented in August and agreed to fund this demonstration project for one year, signing over $175,400 of transportation sales tax revenue for this purpose. To access this pot of funds, all parties had to agree to call the project a “study”, intended to measure ridership potential for the proposed streetcar between downtown and WSU. I’ve been trying to obtain more information from regional transportation officials about how this “study” will be conducted and what they’re hoping to learn, and will post an update here whenever they answer my inquiries.

For now, however, patrons of downtown Ogden can enjoy the faux trolley ride around Historic 25th Street, Washington Blvd., The Junction, and the Intermodal Hub. The ride will be free, with service every 20 minutes. The northern limit of the route was originally supposed to be 20th Street, but it sounds like that has been changed to 21st or even 22nd. Now let’s see... How long would it take to walk from 22nd Street to 25th?