Draper group opposes TRAX line curving near scenic trail
By Cathy McKitrick

The Salt Lake Tribune Salt Lake Tribune Article Last Updated:11/09/2006 05:49:33 AM MST

DRAPER - A recently organized grassroots group called Citizens for Responsible Transportation (CRT) met Wednesday to galvanize opposition to a proposed light rail route that would curve through this southeast Salt Lake Valley community alongside its popular Porter Rockwell trail.

"What's brought us together is frustration over information disseminated or not disseminated to us," said Scott Warner, CRT co- chairman. "We're not opposed to TRAX. We're opposed to a circuitous route through Draper."

About 80 people attended Wednesday's meeting at the Draper Library.

Draper's City Council is poised to vote Tuesday on the eight-mile route that would use an old rail line purchased by the Utah Transit Authority in 1993. The project's estimated cost is about $300 million.

"The City Council makes another decision next week and it will affect us. That decision should be a no vote," said resident Dick Borg.

UTA-sponsored open houses, held earlier this year, provided information to residents about Draper light-rail options.

Those were not well-attended, said some of the CRT participants - because the events were poorly publicized.

"The communication process has been deplorable. I think the city could do better to communicate the seriousness of this vote," said Summer Pugh, who helped organize the CRT effort.

Concerns voiced Wednesday centered around safety, lowered property values, impacts from train vibration and noise, lack of ridership and disruption of hiking, biking and equestrian activity along the trail.

The choice before Draper's council - and residents - is either the route through the city using UTA's right-of-way, or no line at all.

Residents said they were earlier led to believe there was another more expensive alternative down State Street.

But UTA representatives recently said that option was used for comparison purposes only and would not be viable.

"You're hired by us to speak for us, your constituents," Scott Andersen told two council members in attendance Wednesday.

"We're asking you to look at the literature we put out, the 800 signatures we gathered. We're asking the council to speak to UTA on behalf of the people."

Councilman Jeff Stenquist described the upcoming vote as formality, since UTA already owns the right of way.

"UTA is not asking permission. . . . It's not really necessary that we take a vote. It's basically the council expressing its opinion," Stenquist said.

cmckitrick@sltrib.com