There was little doubt Friday that people are excited about light rail.
They may be excited for different reasons, but there was no shortage of passion and verve when the Utah Transit Authority kicked off construction of its 15 1/2-mile light-rail commuter train system.Federal Transit Administrator Gordon Linton came all the way from Washington for the ground-breaking ceremony, held on a future light-rail station site off 1300 South. Linton, Salt Lake City Mayor Deedee Corradini and UTA General Manager John Pingree expressed great delight that the moment they've been waiting for (although actual work won't begin for at least a month) had arrived.
"I can't tell you how happy it makes me feel that this is now coming to pass," Pingree gushed before an audience of more than 200, about half of them UTA employees bused in for the occasion.
But UTA's shining moment was overshadowed by a boisterous crowd of anti-light-rail protesters, who appeared to outnumber those attending the ceremony. Fueled by talk-radio banter and bolstered by an effort to force a vote on whether light-rail cars can cross Salt Lake County streets on-grade, opponents waved signs reading "Trash TRAX" and shouted "No light rail!" in unison.
The protesters kept their distance as the dignitaries glad-handed one another and made pro-nouncements typical of such public celebrations. Linton said the $312 million light-rail project, financed primarily with federal funds, would "open up new vistas and opportunity in your region." Corradini, celebrating her birthday as well, said everyone would use light rail, even the protesters. And UTA Board Chairman Jim Clark promised TRAX would be built on time - by the spring of 2000 - and on budget.
When the dignitaries moved from the podium to the nearby freight tracks for a symbolic lifting of the rails, the protesters crossed the street en masse. They stood within a few feet of Linton, Corradini and the others, chanting wildly as the ceremony progressed.
One protester slapped a "No Light Rail" bumper sticker onto the back bumper of UTA bus. Someone else momentarily stuck an anti-light-rail sign onto Pingree's back.
Afterward, some protesters cornered Linton while others shouted their objections at Pingree and the mayor. There were no physical confrontations, but the language and hostility clearly made some officials un-com-fortable.
"I think it's clear the mayor and UTA know we don't want light rail," said protest organizer Drew Chamberlain.
Linton wasn't deterred by the demonstration. He's heard it all before. Prior to Friday's ceremony, Linton told the Deseret News editorial board he expects some Salt Lake Valley residents to oppose light rail, just as residents of Portland, St. Louis and Dallas did before those systems debuted.
He relayed that experience from the podium Friday.
"Those who were concerned about it at the beginning became advocates as it continued to operate," he said of the other cities. "I suspect that the same thing will happen in Salt Lake City. Ridership will soar, and the question will become, `Gee, when is it coming to my neighborhood?' "
Linton did, however, seem perturbed by one protest sign that read, "Light Rail Kills Children," a reference to opponents' belief that light-rail trains will hit and kill pedestrians and motorists alike. According to federal transit records, light-rail vehicles were involved in 982 accidents resulting in 15 deaths in 1993 alone, although some of the deaths were sus-pected suicides.
"I just thought it was an ugly sign with no validity to it," Linton said.
The anti-light-rail crowd offered a different version of reality than that promoted by the UTA and light-rail supporters.
Several protesters said alternatives to light rail - monorail, commuter rail and dedicated busways among them - haven't even been considered by UTA. Officially, the Wasatch Front Regional Council and the Utah Department of Transportation have performed a number of studies on other options. The regional council, the lead governmental planning agency for urban Utah, recommended light rail as the preferred alternative.
Ed Robert of Salt Lake City called governmental leaders "a bunch of idiots" and alleged that UTA officials "get kickbacks under the table from the contractors."
Jennylean Nielson, who later crept within 10 feet of Corradini and cupped her hands to yell at the mayor, said light-rail crossings would cause "absolute chaos" to automobile traffic. She said her 11 children and their peers are the ones who will end up paying for light-rail's failure.
E.O. "Doc" Woods, a former legislative candidate, said what Salt Lake City really needs is an elevated monorail system down 700 East. And Woods said it will cost $23 per rider for UTA to operate light rail. UTA estimates the cost will be more like $1.67, and even the least efficient light-rail systems west of the Mississippi don't spend more than $4 per passenger trip, according to federal statistics.
UTA gets local funding through a quarter-cent sales tax, and its board of directors has promised it won't need an increase to build or operate light rail. Bruce Redd, of Holladay, said he suspects other taxes, including property taxes, could be raised to support light rail.
Linton also met with leaders of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee to discuss preparations for the 2002 Winter Games.