Ogden Trolly Campaign - Get Involved!

Shalae Larsen has written an fantastic essay on the proposed streetcar system for Ogden's East Central Bench Historic District Neighborhood..."The Trolley District". Our opportunity for public input is this coming Tuesday, March 24th at the Eccles Conference Center from 4pm-7pm. LET'S ALL BE THERE TO GIVE THEM OUR TWO CENTS!

Here is Shalae's essay:

THE MISSING LINK

An Essay by Shalae A. Larsen

For the past several decades, the people of Ogden have worked to revitalize our once great city. Yet despite the efforts of civic leaders and very real improvements in lowering crime rates, generating infrastructure, and improving the image of the city overall; we have not realized a dramatic transformation of the City of Ogden. What is the missing link in the greater Ogden revitalization picture? Redevelopment efforts to date have focused on promoting the work, shop, and play aspects of our city’s image through the development of the downtown with new retail and employment centers. The city has made great strides in connecting these amenities to the plethora of outdoor recreational opportunities that our unique geographic situation affords. The missing link in this over all picture is the LIVE component. We need to create livable neighborhoods adjacent to the downtown. The resulting semi‐urban residential population is key to supporting our downtown and outdoor recreational opportunities. Simultaneously, we need to create a meaningful linkage between this semi‐urban population and the downtown and east‐bench
opportunities that they will support. Now we have an opportunity to address this missing link, to make very real strides in revitalizing this community by creating meaningful linkages from downtown to the east bench, while interconnecting the East Central district as the missing link in the greater Ogden revitalization strategy.

In comparing downtown Ogden to similar urban centers, one key difference is that both areas like downtown Salt Lake City and Sugar House have adjacent residential populations: neighborhoods with substantially higher levels of education and income that provide the direct financial support of local downtown businesses, and the bodies to engage community activities (i.e. life on the street)! The problem with trying to garner the support of suburban dwellers for downtown redevelopment efforts is that this demographic is more likely to support big box and national brand businesses, and are far less likely to ride public transit or participate in downtown community activities. Conversely downtown adjacent residential populations, when a more affluent mix is engaged, will support local businesses, walk, bike, utilize public transit, and will be more engaged in the local community participating in art and civic events.

In Ogden’s golden railroad era an affluent yet diverse population settled the east bench directly adjacent to the booming downtown. This primarily residential area was serviced by streetcar lines running east‐west along 21st, 23rd, 25th, and 27th streets. This population provided the direct financial support for the downtown. There was clearly a symbiotic relationship between downtown and the East Central Bench, a relationship that still exists to this day. Today this area is designated as a National Historic District. There is even a local community movement to have the area renamed to “The Trolley District.” Yet despite efforts from local preservation groups and the city’s RDA program, this neighborhood is still languishing in decay. The solution to complete the revitalization of Ogden is the revitalization of the Trolley District as the missing link in the city’s overall revitalization strategy.

Now the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) is in the process of completing a study for a new transit corridor linking downtown Ogden and Weber State University. The study will examine alternative modes of transportation including the streetcar. It will also consider alternative east‐west routes to connect commercial and employment centers in downtown to the services and outdoor recreation on the east. In considering historic precedent, filling the missing “live” component described above, and new economic development potential a 25th street alignment of a streetcar from Washington Boulevard to Harrison Boulevard should be considered a priority. A streetcar traveling the 25th Street route engages potential redevelopment sites including the old Gold’s Gym, the RiteAid/Wheelwright block, and hundreds of smaller infill opportunities. This mode and route also accesses community
services including the Library, Oasis Community Garden, Academy Square, and Golden Hours Senior Center. This alignment also provides a Harrison linkage to Ogden High School and Mount Ogden Middle School. This route would help to attract a new mix of urban dwellers who would access the streetcar to work, shop, play, learn, and engage the community. The linkage of the streetcar through the Trolley District provides the missing link in the total revitalization of Ogden.

One of the main arguments against the 25th Street alignment of the streetcar is that Harrison Boulevard is too narrow north of 30th street. While Harrison is narrower north of 30th Street, there is still currently room to include a streetcar in the right of way without sacrificing a lane of travel. This would be achieved by removing the turning lane and the onstreet parking. The real reason that the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) is opposed to using this portion of Harrison for the streetcar, is that they still hope to expand Harrison to seven lanes in the future. Ultimately this expansion scenario would be a lose-lose situation. Widening Harrison would be a temporary traffic solution at best, while at worst bifurcates the Trolley District and the East Bench. Widening Harrison would further divide the community, impede pedestrian and bike circulation, increase noise and pollution, and would seriously jeopardizing the health safety and welfare of Ogden residents. Conversely, inclusion of the streetcar along Harrison significantly increases the transportation capacity of the corridor by focusing on moving people rather than cars. It would also generate significantly better and more economic development while also improving the local community and better connecting and serving the community as a whole.

The concept of linkages is one that is key to urban design and planning, especially when it comes to mass transit. The issue of linkages is one that the city of Ogden has been dealing with for nearly its entire life, but more recently in the form of the current transit study linking downtown Ogden to the bench located and mountain adjacent Weber State University. This is an opportunity to provide meaningful linkages throughout the community resulting in pedestrian friendly environments, increased bike opportunities, viable economic development, and increase the desirability and livability of the community. Both route and mode are critical concepts. The streetcar as the primary mode provides long‐term infrastructural improvements proven to stimulate economic development. The 25th street alignment of the streetcar provides the essential linkages needed to addressOgden’s greater redevelopment picture – specifically the missing link in the total revitalization of the Ogden community – the integration of the Trolley District.

Artwork Courtesy Shalae Larsen