UTA schedules hearings on service changes

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The Utah Transit Authority has scheduled five public hearings this week to share information and take comment about proposed changes to service, including opening its TRAX extension to Salt Lake City International Airport as part of the green line to West Valley City.

UTA typically makes adjustments to its schedules and routes three times a year, and the next change date is scheduled for April 14. An already approved increase in its base fares will also take place that day, raising basic bus and TRAX fares from $2.35 a trip to $2.50.

UTA said it wants to take comment on other proposed changes including:

• Adjusting FrontRunner schedules to better reflect actual running times and to allow more reliable connections to TRAX and buses. It has received many complaints about FrontRunner schedules since its new extension opened between Salt Lake City and Provo.

• Adjusting bus routes and schedules in northwest Salt Lake City because of the new airport TRAX line.

• Eliminating some bus routes because of low ridership including routes 523 and 527, Saturday service on route 227 and Sunday service on routes 6 and 240.

• Changes to flex routes including switching Herriman route F547 to 60-minute frequency; eliminating off-peak service on Grantsville route F401, and eliminating Syracuse/Hooper route F628 because of low ridership.

The first hearings are scheduled from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at UTA headquarters, 669 W. 200 South in Salt Lake City, and from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Clearfield Community Arts Center, 140 E. Center St.

Hearings on Thursday are scheduled from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the South Jordan City Council Chambers, 1600 W. Towne Center Drive, and at the same time at the Grantsville City Council Chambers, 429 E. Main St.