Action Planning – Day 3
Based on Vision Statements conference members identified Topics for Action Planning, which represented common ground. Groups were then formed based on individual interest in these topics for goal setting and action planning. Groups discussed and determined specific actions that should be taken, who should do what and when, and scheduled a follow-up meeting.
Action Planning Group Report Outs
City, Business Transit Group
Topic: Successfully marketing mass transit to support the business community and to increase transit share of the commuter market. Cities adopt a business licensing/permitting requirement for connection to transit infrastructure.
Goal: To increase transit support programs for employees and employers of all business sizes and in all locations.
Participants: Sherry Repscher, Tosh Kano, JoAnn Seghini, Jerry Benson, Ard Howell, Steve Lewis, Roger Borgenecht
Group Contact(s): Lead: JoAnn Seghini 567-7205 and Jerry Benson at 287-4518
Meeting Scheduled: Location: Midvale City
October 18, 2001 from 10:00 a.m. to noon
Report: As we develop within communities, we have to treat public transit as an infrastructure planing and zoning item. We need to look at providing transportation for employees to the closest public transportation facility. We would like to look at coming up with modal ordinances to require transportation accessibility to allow people options, reduce structure cost with smaller parking lots and allow for reduced business license fees. The group plans to work with the Utah League of Cities and Towns, EDCU, Association of Counties and other organizations involved in business growth and planning. We are going to get this done.
Utah County Group
Topic: ¼ ¢ Sales Tax Increase in Utah County
Goal: Get Utah County Agencies and entities to work together to promote ¼ ¢ sales tax increase to fund transportation options throughout the county.
Participants: Darrell Cook, Wayne Smith, Eileen Glather, Richard Secrist, Traci Conti, Marilyn Gilbert, Lee Cabell, Richard Chong, Tori Cook, Jennie Hannebaum, Chad Eccles
Group Contact(s): Not identified
Meeting Scheduled: Location: MAG
October 8, 2001 at 3:00 p.m.
Report: Working on ¼ cent sales tax increase to set common priorities for communities regarding future transportation. Would like to stretch the transit boundaries to include the entire county. Looking at the November 2002 ballot to get an increase passed. Will include others who are part of this conference but have left.
Northern Rail Service Group
Topic: Northern Rail Service
Goal: Identify Station Locations
Participants: Bob Davis, Brent Hales, Mick Crandal, Jeff Harris, Stuart Adams, Arthur Johnson, Peter Matson, Jeanette Bonnell, Blen Burton, Lisa Allen-Martinez, Kyle Curtis, Bill Beard, Diane Walker, Tom Latta, Bruce Anderson
Group Contact(s): Lead: Jeff Harris 262-5626 ext. 2337
Meeting Scheduled: Location: Weber County
October 17, 2001 at 2:00 p.m.
Report: The group struggled with narrowing down the topic and eventually came up with: Northern Rail Service. This would be defined as any rail service north of Salt Lake and connecting to Salt Lake City. The main goal is to obtain input and solidify the location of different stations along corridor. Station locations are very important, as tying into these is an issue of multi-modal connections, which includes everything that develops from the location of those stations. We want to involve Hill AFB, Weber State University, the Freeport Center, and Weber Industrial Park and educate them in order to have communication take place. We will endeavor to educate and inform and highlight communication between Davis and Weber County entities, such as the Davis County Transportation Committee, Weber Chamber of Commerce sub committee, etc. so they may work together. There is also discussion regarding extending commuter rail further north to Box Elder County and Brigham City. Funding allocations should also be determined. The main issue is to identify all the stakeholders, increase communication and information exchanged. We need to provide education opportunities and information so as many people as possible know what is going on.
Expanding/Extending Services Group
Topic: Expanding Services, extending hours and improving access to public transit.
Goal: Improving Access for Minority language users, senior users, disabled users, the economically disadvantaged and shift workers.
Participants: Shirley Marshall, Steve Parkes, Joy Hartmann, Sadie Tsosie, Julie Beckstead, C.J. Stewart, Sherri Fairchild, Lee Childress, Pat Santee
Group contact(s): Lead: Pat Santee 467-6060
Meeting Scheduled: Location: 1588 S. Major Street (between State and Main off 1700 South)
Wednesday, September 26, 2001 from 2:30-3:30.
Report: The Expanding Services Group is concerned with extending service to specific populations in need. Special services are needed for disabled, seniors, shift workers, disadvantaged populations such as the homeless, single moms and minority populations. While each group may have different needs, all people have interest in better access, extended hours of service, better weekend service, and improved east and west transit. The group has special concern with regard to the needs of the disabled. There have been positive changes in equipment and in accessibility, but there are still barriers in many outlying areas. Inaccessible bus stops, lack of sidewalks and other physical barriers make it difficult to access new equipment, particularly in outlying areas and new developments. Seniors need assistance to replace services they may no longer be able to provide for themselves (such as doctor appointments, grocery store, drug store, and social activities) to improve their quality of life. Shift workers need a safe system that is available at the time they need to use it, they would like to change what may now be a two hour commute home to a one hour commute. Everyone benefits from a dependable system. Riders and potential riders need to know more about existing systems. There may be many programs available that would improve their situation if they know about them such as, Rideshare and large employer transit pass programs which get businesses connected with UTA to transport employees to and from work. A low cost/interest carpool van program is also available. It should be possible to provide homeless families a reasonable program with discounted services, which enroll them in programs to get to work, and other services. Bus passes for interviews and doctor’s appointments are also an option. Single moms need to get their kids to day care as well as find transportation to work. It would be a help to reduce a four-trip day to two trips on transit. The group also feels that minorities need better support. They have a lot of the same needs for shift work or single mom accommodations. They need an easy system both to get bus passes and to get to and from work.
Cooperative Partnership Group
Topic: Cooperating Partnerships
Goal: To get cities, counties, UDOT, UTA and the business community to work together effectively to achieve integrated transportation and land use plans and integrated transportation systems and services.
Participants: Edward Santillanes, Alex Beseris, Toby Alires, Jeanetta Williams, Paul Bay, Pam Roberts
Group Contact(s):
Meeting Scheduled: Within 30 days
Report: With the issue of cooperative partnerships, the goal is to get cities, counties, UTA, UDOT and business communities, to work together effectively to achieve better transportation systems. We will need to identify critical concerns in order to achieve a better understanding. For example it would be useful for UDOT to ask UTA, cities and counties formally, what would help them in their transportation planning. UTA, cities and counties could also turn it around and ask UDOT the same question: "What would you like to see us do, or have done to make your life easier?" We would like to help these groups work together to identify what projects currently underway could be improved. The business community also needs to be involved to work with chambers of commerce to establish a transportation management association. Small business, especially in Salt Lake County, don’t have a voice because they do not have many employees, all located together. They need to be given a better voice so they have better cooperation. The group plans to work with large transportation agencies and the community, as well as other groups such as the Homeowners Association and the Association of Apartments. These groups should also be involved.
UMA- Urban Mobility Alliance Committee
Topic: Broad Based Planning and Coordination Group
Goal: Bring groups together in a more cooperative way
Participants: Nancy Wright, Carole Verschoor, Bonnie Fernandez, Necia Christianson, Jeanetta Williams
Group Contact(s): Lead: Jeanetta Williams 262-5626 ext. 128 cell: 808-4860
Meeting Scheduled: Location: 2100 South County Building
Tuesday October 16, 2001 at 5:00 p.m. in the south building
Report: We were all on same path when we chose "Broad Based Planning and Coordination". We were thinking in terms of actual planners. There are a lot of informal planners and no way for all of them to come together. There are a lot of projects going on in this area, but not everyone knows about them. We see the need to find a way to get groups together. Some coordination can be simple and basic. One group member worked in San Diego, where all transit supporters had social event together. These individuals are often overworked as a group and find it difficult to sit in another meeting. We believe that communications could be facilitated with the use of technology, teleconferences, Internet, newsletters, summary bullet points of what the UTA Board has approved by month and UDOT provided information. A lot of different cities also need to be involved. The whole thing is about communication.
Privatization of UTA and Technology Group
Note: This group does not represent the "common ground" directive
Topic: Developing Automotive Technologies
Goal: None stated
Participants: Drew Chamberlain, Michael Packard, Grantley Martelly (Technology)
Group Contact(s): Lead: Drew Chamberlain 801-282-4877
Meeting Scheduled: Privatization: Meeting Wed, Oct 17, 2001 at 8:00 in West Valley
Technology: 9:00 on Oct 17, 2001 at UTA
Report: We have the nasty one. We are going to break up UTA, privatize it give it competition write a formal document requesting the legislature change the transportation code to require 15% of UTA routes to be privatized. We want to have UDOT do some of the UTA planning functions. We are trying to get some competition to produce a quality transportation system, and reduce cost.
We support developing technologies, such as computer aided technology to allow traffic to go faster and smother, because the speed of the car is not varied by the driver. Cruise control does about the same thing. Automobiles should have priority to keep moving. We support changing the law to allow for a private transit company like a mini bus service. We would like to see the creation of a transportation research center at one of the colleges to look into new technologies. Utah would benefit from the new technology, which comes out of this.
We suggest the development of a new transit paradigm. New technology goals would have less environmental impact while it is being built. There needs to be a network feeding the suburbs through many routes. Use lots of the technology of our time. Make use of automation in putting systems together.
