This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Bridging the transportation gap in Sugar House looks to be a long and winding road.
High-density housing is sprouting throughout the neighborhood but the transportation system to carry new and established residents, as well as shoppers, is notably lagging.
There is a traffic "circulation plan" for Sugar House, and Salt Lake City officials are working on a citywide-transportation plan. But traffic jams persist. Intersections along 2100 South at 900 East, 1100 East and 1300 East fail at rush hour.
More than a year ago, Salt Lake City, in conjunction with the Utah Transit Authority, opened the S-Line streetcar from the TRAX Central Pointe station at 221 West to McClelland Street (1050 East) along the old rail right of way at 2230 South. But it seems to have little impact, thus far, on automobile traffic. A Salt Lake Tribune reporter walked the two-mile route faster than the streetcar.
A plan to extend the line to Highland Drive and north on 1100 East to 1700 South remains unfunded.
City officials say more mass transit, particularly buses, is the solution. But it is UTA that determines bus and rail schedules, not Mayor Ralph Becker or the City Council.
Recently, the 170-unit Liberty Village apartments opened in the heart of Sugar House at 2150 S. McClelland St. Last year, the 210-unit Vue at Sugar House Crossing opened on the corner of 2100 South and 1100 East. Soon, the 212-unit Wilmington Gardens will open its first phase just east of Highland Drive at about 2200 South. Other projects are in various stages of planning.
Last week, the City Council began modifying its "form-based" zoning ordinance that envisions more high-density housing in Sugar House.
According to council members, the city is planning for future population growth and the trend toward urban living.
The city's plan for transportation — along with one from UTA — appears less tangible.
Council Chairman Luke Garrott concedes that mass transit is lacking in Sugar House and throughout Salt Lake City. He would like the council to budget extra funds the city would pay to UTA for the agency to expand bus service.
He's not the only council member who favors such an approach, said Councilwoman Erin Mendenhall. She added, however, that the Becker administration does not favor such a transportation subsidy.
"We all wish the transit system was bigger and greater right now," Mendenhall said. "There is a gap to bridge. There will be growing pains."
So what is the transportation plan? asked Lori Leighton, the co-owner of Boxing Is For Girls fitness studio, 1983 S. 1100 East.
"The S-Line is a dud because it's too slow," she said. "We don't have all day to get to work."
By contrast, she said, more people are taking the bus and walking. But she fears the congestion and parking in the area will get worse as new housing comes on line.
There are many concerns, said Judi Short, a member of the Sugar House Community Council. But city officials and UTA are aware that the S-Line has to run more frequently.
Further, she said, developers in the area are working to ensure that Sugar House continues to be a walkable neighborhood.
Short noted that the area has been targeted for high-density housing for some time.
"It's a Catch-22," she said. "If a developer comes and wants to build a high-rise and meets all the zoning requirements, we have no right to stop him."
It's also a guarantee that auto traffic will grow in Sugar House. But it won't be the first time that development leapfrogged transportation planning, said Councilman Charlie Luke.
"We tend to put the cart before the horse on these things," he said.
And while transportation remains a concern, the City Council does not want to cool the building boom.
"Density is great if you plan it right," Luke said. "But until you provide a transit alternative that is efficient and affordable, you won't get people out of their cars."