Ridership on UTA is the highest it’s ever been, increasing 3 percent in 2012 and reaching an all-time high of almost 43 million boardings.  TRAX ridership alone increased by 14 percent last year.  UTA’s ridership is making an impact on Utah’s two largest traffic generators, carrying more than 25 percent of all worker trips into downtown Salt Lake City and 35 percent of trips to the University of Utah.  In total, more than 250 million passenger miles were reduced on Utah’s roads last year by people who chose to ride UTA.

So far in 2013 ridership has remained steady, as major system changes have taken place the past several months.  The FrontRunner extension to Provo opened last December, and has carried as many as 16,000 weekday boardings.  In February, UTA increased FrontRunner service and adjusted the schedule to improve reliability and connections to TRAX and bus.  The Airport TRAX line opened in April, giving Wasatch Front residents convenient rail access to Salt Lake International Airport.  The new TRAX and FrontRunner lines have opened more than two years ahead of schedule, changing original ridership projections.  While these changes are positive, it takes time for riders to adjust to a new bus and rail network.

As the rail projects in the FrontLines 2015 program have been completed, our public transportation system has been experiencing a period of unprecedented growth and change.  Bus ridership has been affected as routes and schedules have been adjusted and many riders make the switch from bus to train.  Other changes to bus and rail service have been made in recent years due to the recession.  UTA discontinued peak-hour only express bus routes, replacing them with all-day FrontRunner service that spans 90 miles of the Wasatch Front and will provide greater access and capacity for decades to come.

The data show that public transit trips along the Wasatch Front are increasing while vehicle miles per capita have been declining over the past decade.  In addition, UTA’s ridership held steady in the first quarter of 2013 while the American Public Transportation Association reports that transit ridership across the nation fell by approximately 2 percent.

Riders depart FrontRunner at North Temple Station in March 2013

UTA is poised for future growth as the rail expansion wraps up this year with the opening of the Draper TRAX line in August.  In December, service will begin on the Sugar House streetcar line, the first project of its kind in Utah.  As the FrontLines 2015 program concludes and the economy improves, UTA is focused on improving connections and increasing service.  FrontRunner service was increased in February, and an increase to hourly service on Saturday will begin in August.  In response to improved sales tax revenues, which funds almost 70 percent of UTA’s operating budget, the agency has also preserved more than $1.5 million in bus service so far this year.

UTA appreciates our riders’ support throughout this exciting and dynamic time.  Ridership is strong, and our new, expanded public transportation system will help make the Wasatch Front one of the most progressive and economically vibrant communities in the Intermountain West.  We look forward to continuing to serve the residents of the Wasatch Front by providing them with an integrated system of innovative, accessible and efficient public transportation.

Route 667 connects riders at Farmington FrontRunner station with Lagoon. The shuttles run every 30 minutes from 8:05 a.m. until 11:15 p.m. on weekdays and 12:20 a.m. on weekends. The shuttle, along with all UTA services, is closed on July 4. The shuttle will operate on July 24. The Lagoon shuttle also connects to bus route 455 at the Farmington Station and State and Main stops.

Please note that FrontRunner and route 667 are closed on Sundays. Route 455 operates Monday through Friday.

Lagoon is just one of the Wasatch Front amusement and water parks that are easily accessible from public transportation. Here are a few of our favorites that can be reached by UTA.

Cherry Hill

www.cherry-hill.com

1325 South Main Street, Kaysville

Accessible by bus route 470

Cowabunga Bay

www.cowabungabay.com

12047 S. State Street, Draper 84020

Accessible by bus routes 201, 811

Seven Peaks Salt Lake City

www.sevenpeaks.com

1200 W. 1700 South, Salt Lake City

Accessible by bus route 509

Seven Peaks Provo

www.sevenpeaks.com

1330 E. 300 North, Provo

Accessible by bus routes 831 and 832

Seven Peaks Fun Center Lehi

www.sevenpeaks.com

1320 North 300 West, Lehi

Accessible by bus route 811

Seven Peaks Fun Center Orem

www.sevenpeaks.com

168 S. 1200 West, Orem

Accessible by bus route 862

Sugarmont Plaza is located next to the vacant Desert Industries building on Highland Drive. The project was designed to turn an unused space into a community resource, without requiring a big budget or lengthy planning process, said Mark Morris, one of the project’s organizers and member of Friends of the South Salt Lake and Sugar House Streetcar.

An artist's rendering of Sugarmont Plaza

“The idea is that if you can do things that are really inexpensive, you can build public support for more permanent places,” Morris said.

A grand opening celebration including music and food from local food trucks will be held tomorrow from 6 to 9 p.m.

The plaza is designed to remain open until late fall. Morris said that if the plaza proves successful, he hopes to reopen it next spring and let it serve as a way to welcome people riding the Sugar House Streetcar into the neighborhood. The Sugar House Streetcar is a joint project between UTA, Salt Lake City, and South Salt Lake , and the first phase is scheduled to open in December.

“This year we did a temporary plaza, then next year when the street car is up and running, maybe it will become a more (structured) plaza space,” he said. “Our goal is to draw people toward the heart of Sugarhouse and encourage them to explore our business district.”

The plaza is directly accessible from bus route 213 and is within a short walk from routes 21, 220, and 209. Morris emphasized that once you’re in Sugar House, there’s a range of shopping, dining and entertainment available within a ten-minute walk.

Friends of the South Salt Lake and Sugar House Streetcar created the concept for the plaza and helped organize the revitalization effort. The plaza was partially funded by the Salt Lake City Redevelopment Agency.

More information is available at https://www.facebook.com/SLinefriends.

Poor air quality has become an unpleasant fact of life along the Wasatch Front, and it can even impact some residents’ health. Salt Lake and Davis Counties alone experienced 34 yellow and nine red air quality days last summer. The Utah Department of Air Quality estimates that one in three Utahns experience respiratory problems during poor air quality days.

In an effort to help improve air quality, UTA and Zions Bank have teamed up to create the UTA Ride Clear program. The program is designed to encourage residents to reduce pollution by taking public transportation, especially on poor air quality days.

As part of the Ride Clear program, the first 2,500 people who pledge to improve air quality by riding public transit in July will receive a free seven-day UTA pass.

“We looked at the air quality issue and felt like we had a unique opportunity to do something to help,” said UTA General Manager Michael Allegra. “We hope people take advantage of this new program, especially on days when the air is really bad. Taking any cars off the road during times when the summer air stagnates is good for everyone.”

The Ride Clear Pass allows you to ride transit for seven consecutive days, free of charge.

To register for a Ride Clear pass, go to www.utarideclear.com. Ride Clear passes can be used for seven consecutive days of unlimited travel on TRAX, FrontRunner and UTA buses. The electronic passes will be activated on July 1 and will expire on July 31. There is a limit of two passes per household.

Don’t forget to check back here and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for more information about the Ride Clear program. We’ll be announcing an exciting contest and sharing tips about what you can do to help us all breathe a little easier this summer.

Bountiful Farmers Market

www.bountifulmainstreet.com

Thursdays, 3 – 7 p.m. from June 21 to Oct. 13

100 E. 100 South, Bountiful

Accessible via bus route 470.

Downtown Farmers Market

www.slcfarmersmarket.org

Saturdays, 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. and Tuesdays, 4 p.m. – dusk from June 8 to Oct. 10

Pioneer Park, 400 S. 400 West, Salt Lake City

Accessible via Old Greek Town and Planetarium stations on the TRAX Blue Line and bus routes 509 and 516.

Vendors display their goods at the Downtown Farmers Market

Historic 25th Street Farmers and Art Market

www.ogdenfarmersmarket.com

Saturdays, 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. from July 14 to Sept. 29

Downtown Ogden Municipal Gardens, 25th St. and Grant Ave., Ogden

Accessible via bus routes 470, 603, and 612.

Lehi Farmers Market

www.lehifarmersmarket.com

Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. from Aug. 17 to Oct. 12

1870 N. State Street, Lehi

Accessible via bus route 811.

Millcreek Farmers Market

www.millcreekventureout.org

Fridays, 5  – 8:45 p.m. from June 7 to Aug. 30

June 7 market located at Canyon Rim Park, 2900 S. 3100 East. Future markets held at parks around the city.

Canyon Rim Park is located a short walk from bus routes 33 and 228.

Murray Farmers Market

Fridays and Saturdays, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. from Aug. 2 to Oct. 12

Murray City Park, 200 E. 5200 South

Accessible via bus routes 200 and 201.

Provo Farmers Market

provofarmersmarket.blogspot.com/

Saturdays, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. from June 1 to Sept. 1

Pioneer Park, 500 W. Center Street, Provo

Accessible via bus route 836.

South Jordan Farmers Market

Saturdays, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. from Aug. 3 to Oct. 26

South Jordan Towne Center, 10610 S. Redwood Road

Accessible via bus routes 217 and 218.

Sugar House Farmers Market

www.sugarhousefarmersmarket.com

Fridays, 4 – 8 p.m. from July 5 to Oct. 11

Sugar House Park, 2100 S. 1500 East

Accessible via bus routes 21, 220 and 223.

University of Utah Campus Farmers Market

www.sustainability.utah.edu/operations/food/farmers-market

Thursdays from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. from Aug. 29 – Oct. 10

Tanner Plaza, University of Utah Campus

Accessible via TRAX Red Line and bus routes 220, 213, 223, 228, 313, 354,

455 and 473.

Photos courtesy of the Downtown Alliance.

The fourth year of the program kicked off on May 3 with The Desert Noises, a Utah County rock band who also played in the South by Southwest music festival this year. On Friday, Joshua James, a Nebraska musician whose 2009 album made the “Best of iTunes” list, will take the stage. This summer’s lineup also includes Provo band the National Parks, who will be releasing an album this year, and indie folk singer and Utah native Mindy Gledhill. In past years, the concert series has featured up-and-comers like Imagine Dragons, who have since been listed as Billboard’s 2012 “Brightest New Stars” and are currently touring North America and Europe.

Crowds gather to hear the the Desert Noises play on May 3

The concert series was started by a committee of Utah County locals hoping to spread the word about Provo’s growing arts scene, said co-founder C. Jane Kendrick.

“We started the Rooftop Concert Series as a way to bring more people into Provo’s downtown area to show off our phenomenal cultural arts,” Kendrick said.  ”We are pretty proud of our music, art and restaurant scenes in Provo and we welcome everyone to come and listen, view and taste what we have to offer. This isn’t your parent’s (or grandparent’s) Provo anymore, this is a new, budding, vibrant community worth your engagement.”

Concerts are held on top of the Central Bank parking terrace, located at the corner of 100 W. 100 North, Provo.

The Provo Rooftop Concert Series is accessible from bus route 830, which runs until approximately 11:30 p.m. on weeknights. The closest stop for passengers traveling northbound is located at 100 N. 80 East and southbound at University Avenue and 20 South. A schedule for bus route 803 can be found here. The line also connects to FrontRunner at Provo and Orem stations. FrontRunner runs until approx 12:50 a.m. Saturday morning. Please note that the last FrontRunner train traveling to stations north of North Temple Station departs Provo at 10:20 p.m. A FrontRunner schedule is available here.

Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Recognition Week runs today, Monday, June 3, through Friday, June 7. The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program is part of a Department of Transportation initiative to help businesses owned by minorities and women participate in transportation construction projects. Since 2001, UTA has spent more than 7.5 percent of its federal funding for transit projects with DBE-certified firms.

Business owner Sara Ofahengaue said the DBE Program has been an important part of her company’s success. Ofahengaue owns Lehi-based AAA Barricades, which provides traffic control for construction projects, including the Sugar House Streetcar transit line. She said that the DBE program is one of the reasons she is able to offer steady employment to more than 100 employees, rather than relying on temporary staffing companies like many of her competitors.

“It’s a tremendous program that gives you the opportunity to compete with other companies in your field,” Ofahengaue said.

To become certified for the DBE Program, companies must be at least 51-percent owned and controlled by minorities, women or other individuals who face economic obstacles in the marketplace. The owners must have a personal net worth that falls below a set limit and meet the Small Business Association’s criteria.

The DBE Program is part of a congressional provision passed in 1983. It requires that at least 10 percent of the federal funding authorized for highway and transit programs be spent with DBEs. DBE Recognition week will be marked by proclamations from Governor Gary Herbert, Salt Lake City Mayor Ben Adams and the Utah House of Representatives.

More information about UTA’s DBE program is available here.

Tobacco usage is prohibited on UTA systems under the Utah Indoor Clean Air Act. This includes electronic cigarettes and smokeless products like chewing tobacco. According to state policy, electronic cigarettes are banned under the Clean Air Act because they have not been scientifically evaluated and may emit nicotine and carcinogens into the air.

On May 1, UTA became a tobacco-free workplace, joining more than 2,300 organizations around the state, as well as national companies like AT&T, Coca Cola, General Mills, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, Lowe’s, Nordstrom, Target and Union Pacific.

This means that tobacco use is no longer allowed anywhere on UTA property, including UTA parking lots and in vehicles parked at UTA facilities. Riders who wish to use tobacco must first leave UTA property. Salt Lake City also has a law that prohibits smoking within 25 feet of a bus stop.

So, the next time you’re riding FrontRunner, TRAX or a bus, take a deep, smoke-free breath. We’re trying to keep the air as clean as possible, and we appreciate your help.

Statistics on the dangers of smoking courtesy of the World Health Organization.

Most people know that Isis is a contactless payment app available on phones equipped with near field communication (NFC) technology.   You probably have seen people tapping their phones on a UTA electronic card reader on buses or at rail stations.  Chances are that they were using the Isis Mobile Wallet to pay their fare.  To use Isis on UTA, you first need a phone that is NFC enabled.  Next download the Isis app.  After activating the app, simply tap it on a UTA card reader. When you receive a green light, you have a free ride, courtesy of Isis.

To learn more about how to use Isis, click here. You can also watch the video below to see how to ride UTA using the Isis app.

Why didn’t the operator open the door?  Was she just being mean?  No, the operator was not being mean – she simply has a schedule to keep.  Our TRAX and FrontRunner trains run on very tight schedules.  Like most train systems, UTA has sections of track and shared by different trains and uses switches to change between tracks.  TRAX’s Red and Blue lines, for example, share track along Main Street in Salt Lake City and a switch at 400 South. TRAX trains have scheduled times to use that switch.  If a train runs late, it not only causes delays on the Red Line but would affect the Blue Line, too.

In order to keep trains on schedule, we plan for approximately a 30-second dwell time at each station.  Thirty seconds is normally enough time for most passengers to push the door button, climb on board and sit down.  After that time the train operator pushes a button to start locking out the doors so the train can depart and stay on schedule.  With such a tight boarding window and schedule to follow, it is critical that passengers arrive at the station a few minutes before the train leaves.

While we don’t want to leave you at the station, we do have a schedule to keep.  TRAX trains run every 15 minutes on weekdays and 20 minutes on weekends.  FrontRunner runs every 30 minutes during weekday peak hours and every hour and a half during off peak weekday hours and on Saturdays.  The next time you are running to catch the train, be safe, slow down and consider waiting for the next train.