Concerns about terrorism and other security issues apparently will prevent TRAX cars from traveling to the Delta Center and Temple Square stations during the 2002 Winter Games.
For much of February 2002, the end of the line for light rail may be the City Center station at 15 S. Main between the Crossroads Plaza and ZCMI Center malls. Passengers with tickets to ice skating events at the Delta Center would have to walk the rest of the way.
That's because the Salt Lake Organizing Committee has proposed to surround the three downtown Olympic venues — the Delta Center, the Olympic Medals Plaza and the Salt Palace Media Center — with a security fence.
The secure zone would stretch from 400 West to West Temple and from the south side of North Temple to 100 or 200 South. Three blocks of South Temple inside the zone would become a temporary pedestrian mall.
The public would be able to enter the zone — but not without going through strict security checks similar to the routine at airports. SLOC has decided it would be too impractical and risky to allow loaded TRAX cars into the security zone.
"When we really started looking at how many people we're expecting, where they will be and just how we would lay out that downtown area, we thought it would be safer to not have the train in the middle of that," said Tim Harpst, Salt Lake City's transportation director.
The plan has been under discussion for a number of weeks and will be presented to the public in a Dec. 6 open house, 7-9 p.m., at City Hall, 451 S. State.
SLOC needs at least a special events permit from the city to carry out the plan, and the proposal may require City Council approval, depending on its final form.
Until recently, Utah Transit Authority officials and SLOC transportation planners were counting on TRAX to deliver spectators to the Delta Center station, just outside the arena's doors, and to the Temple Square station, a half block from the medals plaza.
But the security demands are understandable and the City Center station will suffice, said Michael Allegra, UTA director of transit development.
"We feel we can do a good job if we are allowed to run the train up and down Main Street but have Main Street essentially closed, except for pedestrian traffic, during evening peaks," Allegra said.
The walk from the City Center station to the Delta Center is a little more than three blocks. The Medals Plaza at South Temple and 200 West is a bit more than two blocks away.
Spectators who take SLOC shuttle buses into the downtown area will be dropped off north of West High School and at Pioneer Park and will then face walks of nearly the same length.
"As our experience has been in Sydney and Nagano and even Calgary, a little bit of walking isn't that bad," Allegra said.
Allegra said UTA does need SLOC to pay for conversion of the track switch on Main between 100 and 200 South from manual to electric. That will cost several hundred thousand dollars, Allegra estimated, and will allow trains to switch tracks as they enter or depart the City Center station.
Grant Thomas, SLOC's vice president for venues and transportation, said he hopes both North Temple and 200 South will remain open to vehicle traffic during the Games.
"The good news is that I-15 will be fully opened by then and that will take some pressure off" downtown streets, Thomas said.
Thomas said the Gallivan Center, which has its own TRAX station, may be the site of some Olympic activity, such as a giant video screen that would broadcast events and highlights.
E-MAIL: zman@desnews.com