Letter: Guideway would cause more problems

Thursday, Dec. 29, 2005 | 8:22 a.m.

There are several problems with the Sun's Dec. 27 editorial on the need for the Regional Fixed Guideway. The Regional Transportation Commission's proposed fixed guideway is not a high-speed transportation alternative to driving. People are still going to have to travel to a station, wait to catch the train and when they reach the stop closest to their destination, take some other form of transportation to reach their goal.

Imagine doing this in the summertime. Light rail does not relieve congestion. This has been proven in every city that has a light rail system. Cities such as San Diego are going to toll lanes and car pool lanes instead of building more light rail. The majority of light rail users in other cities are former bus users.

To get people to ride light rail in Salt Lake City, they eliminated parallel bus lines, forcing the riders onto the train. The RTC hired Parsons Transportation Group to provide consulting for costs and benefits for the Regional Fixed Guideway. The problem with Parsons is it is in the train-building business and it wants more business.

Parsons has estimated the cost of this system will be $20 million per mile, which is nowhere near the national average of $60 million per mile to build light rail. For example, a light-rail system in Phoenix is costing $68 million per mile to build.

Before jumping on this money-sucking train, do your research and find out that everything the RTC is touting about the Regional Fixed Guideway is pure fiction.

Art Plunkett Henderson