After more than a decade of rail successes, the city that leads the nation in per-capita transit spending has experienced a transit setback. Early data for Salt Lake City's first streetcar line indicates much lower-than-expected ridership.
"The federal government expected 3,000 people a day to ride the new Sugar House Streetcar when it opened, according to a statement it issued in 2010 to announce a $26 million grant for the project," reports Lee Davidson. "But the average during its opening week was just 781 riders daily — a mere 26 percent of what had been projected, according to Utah Transit Authority data requested by The Salt Lake Tribune."
"Despite the initially low numbers, [UTA spokesman Remi] Barron said, 'UTA feels that the launch of this streetcar was a success and the people in Salt Lake City and South Salt Lake City have already embraced the S-Line.'"
He added, "As residential and commercial developments are completed, and as the weather improves and people are able to walk around the area more comfortably, we expect ridership to increase."
FULL STORY: New streetcar attracts a fraction of expected ridership
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
How California Transit Agencies are Addressing Rider Harassment
Safety and harassment are commonly cited reasons passengers, particularly women and girls, avoid public transit.
Significant Investments Needed to Protect LA County Residents From Climate Hazards
A new study estimates that LA County must invest billions of dollars before 2040 to protect residents from extreme heat, increasing precipitation, worsening wildfires, rising sea levels, and climate-induced public health threats.
Federal Rule Raises Cost for Oil and Gas Extraction on Public Lands
An update to federal regulations raises minimum bonding to limit orphaned wells and ensure cleanup costs are covered — but it still may not be enough to mitigate the damages caused by oil and gas drilling.
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