| “Case made for extension of Transit District
Life would be complicated for Gordon Richins if he couldn’t ride the bus to work every day.
The Fairview, Idaho, resident has been using the public transportation system for five years now, something that enables him to work in Logan like many other Franklin County residents.
Before the Cache Valley Transit District reached Richmond and because of a physical disability, Richins depended on his wife to drive him to and from work at Utah State University. Now Richins relies on the “more comfortable and safer” transportation of the bus system. However, his wife still must drive him from Fairview to Richmond in order for Richins to access the transit.
However, the future looks promising for the Fairview resident in terms of that drive to Richmond.
Richins may not have to drive to the northern Utah city in the future if the CVTD decides it services are needed in Franklin County also, something a current study is examining. From Richins’ point of view, the bus system would be utilized by many Idaho residents, many of whom frequent the Richmond stop, riding alongside Richins to work at the university.
“It would benefit all of Franklin County, not just me,” Richins commented about the idea of a regional transit. “It would be a win-win deal.”
As concerns for air quality and rising gas prices escalate, Cache Valley officials are recognizing the need for a regional transit that would service Franklin County.
“As we become a bigger community, air quality is going to be a big thing,” Preston Mayor Neal Larson said. “I think public transportation is going to have to fit into it.”
With an estimated 80 percent of commuters in Preston and nine out of 10 of those commuting to Logan specifically, Larson said a bus system from the north end to the south end of the valley would be beneficial to residents in more ways than one. A transit system would be used by commuters as well as teenagers, the elderly and consumers, he thinks.
“Mainly, the work force would be able to take advantage of cheaper transportation back and forth to work,” Larson said. “I think there are a lot of opportunities for a transit system to be used.”
As the Cache Vision 2020+ begins to materialize, Richard Westerberg, the Idaho steering committee member, said that air quality and transportation issues would be top discussion items for the organization. A mass transit system would ease commuter crowding and would have a positive effect on air quality, he said.
Transit Manager Todd Beutler said he is pleased with the direction Cache Vision is headed, especially in regard to the discussions of a regional bus system that would include Franklin County. Poor air quality is not just a Cache County problem, he said. Franklin County breathes the same bad air.
“The idea is to think as a valley and to act as a valley,” Beutler said. “The mindset is supportive of doing that in all aspects. And transit is just one of those aspects.”
The CVTD is currently conducting a feasibility study to determine the need of a regional transit system in the valley, Beutler said. The research will determine who potential riders are and the cost of creating such a system. The study will also consider the possibility of linking the CVTD with the Utah Transit Authority — something Beutler sees as a definite possibility.
“At some point, we will have a connection both ways,” Beutler said. “But first we have to have a better understanding of what is out there.”
The study is being conducted both on the buses and off the buses, which includes current riders being asked what they like and what they would change about the transit system and a phone survey being conducted of Utah and Idaho residents.
“It comes down to creating a plan and getting public input,” Beutler said. “That is really a key thing.”
The northernmost CVTD stop is currently in Richmond and ridership there is heavy, said Transportation Planner Jeff Gilbert for the Cache Metropolitan Planning Organization. The ultimate decision for more northern stops will be based on the ability of the transit to capture riders, Gilbert said. The study will be beneficial in determining the possible number of Idaho residents who would take advantage of a regional transit.
Nationwide public transportation is becoming advantageous, especially for “longer commuters who are more sensitive to rising gas prices,” Gilbert said.
With the number of residents who do commute to Logan from Preston, Gilbert feels those commuters would see the benefits of riding the transit.
Richins said he sees the immediate effects of rising gas prices as ridership from Richmond to Logan increases. There are more and more Idaho license plates appearing in the Richmond parking lot, he said.
Cities like Preston can prepare in advance to be served by a transit, Gilbert said. Land use decisions that allow for tighter density are one way to entice a bus system, he said. Gilbert said downtown Preston would already be a feasible area for a public transportation system because of the population base there.
“The density of housing has to be conducive to transit,” Gilbert said. “If a bus has to go too far, the level of service is just not going to be there. If communities in outlying areas want transit to be a bigger player, a lot of it has to do with how they grow.”
As for funding a regional transit, Gilbert said if the ridership is high, the costs of running the system will be workable.
Beutler said funding would be addressed once the study is complete and the issue is looked at more closely. But he feels the cost of running a regional system would be dealt with similar to that of the current funding of CVTD which comes from local sales tax.
Larson said if costs go up, “We are all going to be forced to look at public transportation.”
Preston is more than willing to consider the possibility of helping to fund a regional transit system, Larson says.
“It is going to be necessary in the next few years for this valley to decide whether we are going to have transit be a significant part of the valley,” Gilbert said. “We need to begin taking the steps to make transit more viable.”
We have here another classic case of “I can't afford to help myself so everyone else should be forced to pitch in and help me.” In this case, Utahans will be paying Taxes to assist Idaho citizens. This is flat out wrong! I don't have a problem with mass transit in general. I do have a big problem with government owning it. If a private company were in control of the CVTD and LTD, I would be fine. I don't use it and don't feel that my Taxes should go toward it. Whenever I see the buses, they have around two or three people on them with their stupid little bike hung on the front of the bus. It is a waste of our money. My car is the way I get around. I will not ride the bus or my bike in protest of these Socialists.
Lets see here, is it right to Tax utahans in order to provide Idaho citizens a service? What a crock!
Speaking of the air quality, what a joke. Have you ever been stopped at a red light in back of one of those ugly buses? When the light turns green, the air for the next half mile down the road turns black! It would take 500+ cars running non-stop all day to pollute the air to the level of the buses 5 seconds of acceleration! Take care of the black air buses and then talk to me about my car or wood burning stove causing bad air! Oops, I forgot, because CVTD and LTD are public owned, they are above any restrictions or air standards.
I'm sorry but none of the above statements made in the Sunday, May 15, 2006 HJ News article hold water. Is it any wonder though when it comes to the HJ News? They love to take up half of each paper to promote the propaganda of the Bear River Health Department and Logan City owned Bus system. |