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Sarah Dallof reportingLess than two months after the opening of FrontRunner, riders in Layton say they're running into problems before they even board the train. They say the Layton stop has fewer parking stalls than the surrounding communities, so riders are left with nowhere to park.
The lot is split in two with about 350 parking spaces between them. That's about 150 spaces less than the surrounding communities, yet the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) says it has no immediate plans to change anything.
Riders we spoke with say the parking lot is too small and too crowded. Drivers who aren't lucky enough to grab one of 350 spaces have resorted to parking alongside busy Main Street or sneaking into business lots.
Natalie Weaver, manager of Bill's Comfort Systems, says, "You see people park here and walk across the street, and you try to stop them, and they continue to walk." Bill's Comfort Systems put up signs warning people their cars will be towed but haven't acted on it yet.
Doug & Emmy's across the street is a different story. They got fed up when their customers couldn't find anywhere to park. Keri Balli, manager of Doug & Emmy's, says, "They put up signs. People got towed, and it hasn't happened again."
While dealing with the parking has been a pain, managers happily admit it hasn't been all bad -- business is good. Balli says they are seeing an unbelievable amount of customers now.
Carrie Bohnsack-Ware, UTA spokeswoman, says, "It's a tough situation, but we're very, very happy it's so popular."
UTA says it didn't anticipate so many riders at the Layton stop, but it is hesitant to start building new parking lots just yet.
Bohnsack-Ware says, "It might die down. It might not. We're just going to look at it for the next bit and decide what to do."
Business managers hope that decision happens sooner rather than later. Weaver says, "The parking is just insane."
UTA says it could take anywhere from a few months to a year to watch parking patterns and decide what to do next. For now, it suggests people head toward the Clearfield or Farmington lots.
E-mail: sdallof@ksl.com
