More and more new multi-story luxury apartments, (I’ve run out of fingers and toes), continued tearing up of Salt Lake City surface streets from downtown to Sugar House: In most large American cities this increased density of new construction, infrastructure repair and development does not happen all at the same time.
But this of course is Salt Lake City, which is immune from reality in so many ways.
Surely a magical, out-of-thin-air, giddy optimism exists that all this new growth will not be in vain.
I commend the responsible state, county and local governments for really believing that so many new residents will actually come here with the “high paying jobs” already here to afford leases. That hundreds, if not thousands, of new Utahs will get to be able to live a meaningful and prosperous life fulfilling a new Salt Lake City urban experience — regardless of poorly considered, increased urban traffic congestion, the strains on civic and private infrastructures, natural recreation areas, air quality from increased traffic congestion, water availability, emergency management, and, let’s not forget, homeless population increases with the continued game of harassment and shuffling these folks around the county.
It’ll be like waiting in line for hours at one’s favorite ride at Disneyland. And as expensive.
But surely that’s all been taken care of by our responsible elected officials who are planning for a sustainable future.
At least the original pioneers had a healthy vision of Salt Lake City by setting aside large areas of open space for public parks, which would have already succumbed to high density residential and community development long ago.
Brian Dempsey, Salt Lake City
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