Ah, streetcars! | The Salt Lake Tribune

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Re "Traffic jam of opinions on where Sugar House Streetcar should go" (Tribune, April 24):

In the debate whether to run a streetcar north from Sugar House along 1100 East by Westminster College to TRAX, or to run it east along 2100 South to Foothill Drive and then north up to the University of Utah and TRAX, I say, if we want to make this a transit-oriented city, why not both?

Those who oppose a streetcar up 1100 East should consider that one used to run up it. Of course, according to a 1921 streetcar map, electric trolleys also ran up State, 400, 700, 900 and 1500 East streets. The city was honeycombed with 'em.

Ah, those were the days, when a lot fewer people owned cars and a lot more used public transportation. Salt Lake was closer to urban New York City and San Francisco then than now.

Given the pollution in this valley, that model of broad use of public transportation would be a good thing to return to.

Build the streetcars!

Jeff Lynd

Salt Lake City