How do you think the green space next to the streetcar should be used? Would you use it for a trail? A park? To walk through the city?

The Sugar House Streetcar project has been funded, designed, and will begin construction in spring 2012. While doing the community visioning for this project, many residents, businesses, and groups expressed a desire for a trail or pedestrian path through this same corridor, to connect the neighborhoods together and create another community gathering place. PRATT has advocated for a portion of the Parley’s Trail to be built next to the 2-mile long streetcar corridor to join together segments that will soon be compete through Sugar House Park and over the Roper Railyard. The proposed design will be for a “greenway,” which includes the path/trail as well as landscaping and park-like features that make it an attractive and welcoming amenity for the neighborhood. All improvements have to be designed to safely exist in the same corridor as a streetcar and to enhance the new uses proposed along this line, as many adjacent properties redevelop.

Neighbors and potential greenway users are asked to help design the greenway in the streetcar corridor with input from community. The typical cross-section of the streetcar is 28’ within a 66’ wide corridor. Typically, the north side of the streetcar has a 23’ wide strip of vacant land and the south side has a 21’ strip. The intent is to activate these spaces with Parley’s Trail and other community uses and enhance the urban design of the corridor. Each block is unique.  Ideally would be constructed and open at same time as streetcar to have a project that is welcomed and complete and to maximize cost savings for doing it all at once.

 Funding: 

This project is not funded by the FTA grant that is funding the streetcar project – it is a separate project. If the streetcar project is under budget, and FTA approves, some streetcar funding may be eligible to be applied to this project, but this is not yet determined. There is a possibility of the trail/greenway being funded by a County Recreation bond in fall 2012. Salt Lake City Council would like to consider funding their portion of the trail in their 2012-2013 budget. South  Salt Lake City Council is waiting for a concept design before discussing the budget.

Process:

South Salt Lake City and Salt Lake City are undertaking this as a joint project to create a seamless, connected greenway. After agreeing on the general concept design, each community will create their own final design and budget. Each city will present their projects to their City Councils to determine funding. The two cities will jointly pursue county and federal funding, where applicable.

 Timeline:

• January 11^th – Stakeholder meeting (residents, neighbors, interest groups)
• January 26^th – First public workshop
• Feb – March – Stakeholder meetings and comment through Open Town Hall
• March 1^st – Second public workshop
• April - Complete design development plan and design development cost estimate

 Proposed Actions

The City will be talking with citizens and creating a design development plan and design development cost estimate from January to March 2012. A proposed project and budget will be presented to the Mayor and City Council in April 2012. Comments and participation are welcome throughout this process and during the budget process.

 Further information

• See the Sugar House streetcar website  www.shstreetcar.com

Outreach

Open City Hall                        Online discussion forum open 24 hours a day

Public Workshop                     January 26^th 6:00 to 8:00 pm, Kimball Distributing, 2233 South 300 East, South Salt Lake City

 Public Workshop                    March 1^st 6:00 to 8:00 pm, Sprague Library, 2131 Highland Drive, Salt Lake City