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New numbers show fewer people are driving Legacy Parkway and ridership on FrontRunner is down. Both transportation projects were much anticipated and expensive, so what does the research mean for commuters between Salt Lake and Weber Counties?
Whether it's FrontRunner, Legacy Parkway or Interstate 15, commuters between Salt Lake and Weber counties now have a choice. Brandon Bott, spokesman for the Utah Transit Authority, said, "It's a very exciting time for residents all along the Wasatch Front."
But the latest research shows usage of the new Legacy Parkway and FrontRunner rail line is beginning to slip. Since Legacy Parkway opened, the Utah Department of Transportation says the parkway has lost about 6 percent of its hourly traffic. Between mid-September and mid-October, commuter volume on Legacy dropped from about 34,000 to 31,000 vehicles per day.
UDOT spokesman Nile Easton said, "What's really happening, I-15 basically turned into free-flow traffic and, because of that, people are coming back." The drive along I-15 now is much shorter. UDOT says the afternoon commute from Salt Lake to Farmington is 16 minutes compared to 42 minutes before the parkway opened.
Ridership on FrontRunner dipped from about 8,700 people in August to about 8,200 in September. "We will need about a year to take a look at what some of the natural ebbs and flows will be," Bott said.
But neither UDOT nor UTA are expressing any concern or expecting an overflow of traffic onto I-15. Both say people are still assessing what's best for them.
Commuter Nora Prows said, "The roadways look a lot better. Even the landscaping around them is much easier to look at." Since the opening of Legacy Parkway, UDOT says about 30 percent fewer drivers are traveling I-15. UTA says FrontRunner is still exceeding ridership expectations by several thousand people.
And the public is offering a positive response. Easton said, "We've had, I think, over 150 e-mails since it opened; some of them very emotional. We had one from a dad who said for the first time he made family dinner in over two years."
Experts say it will probably take at least a year for any real trends to develop. Another thing to consider is the drop in gas prices. People may begin to drive a bit more.
E-mail: wjohnson@ksl.com
E-mail: aadams@ksl.com
