Alejandro Puy: Salt Lake City should address the problem of streets being blocked by trains

The days of Salt Lake City residents being trapped behind a train crossing has got to stop. The residential areas of Salt Lake City’s westside have felt the blow of train traffic causing long commuter delays, halting access between the west and east sides, impeding emergency access for first responders and many unmeasurable impacts that drive people to walk in-between stopped trains.

Addressing this age-old issue will take the collaboration of influential parties such as Patriot Rail (Salt Lake Garfield and Western Railway), State transportation planners, and the Utah Transit Authority (UTA). I am hopeful the collaboration between the state, city and the Utah Inland Port Authority can present opportunities to end this crippling and worsening crisis.

Neighbors and folks, I represent on the City Council come up to me constantly asking: what can we do about trains blocking our streets? Just recently, Bradley Hardy submitted a letter to the Salt Lake Tribune titled: “Salt Lake City Council should address the problem of streets being blocked by trains.” In his letter, Bradley implored the City Council “do something about the increasing issues with the streets in our area being blocked by stopped trains at railroad crossings.”

To Bradley and the thousands of residents, workers and visitors who have ever been stuck behind these walls of freight that plague our city, the City Council hears you and I am looking for long and short-term solutions. I wish the city could fix this tomorrow.

Right now, the city is working to put the focus on people when making decisions regarding rail operations. Earlier this year, I expressed my opinion regarding the negotiations of moving the Patriot Rail East Yard (located just west of 1000 West Temple), which is the reason for trains stopped at on westside crossings.

The City Council is also taking steps to address this issue by approving $6 million for quiet crossings known as Westside Railroad Quiet Zones. I have also made it a personal priority to ask the city to look into technologies that other jurisdictions are using that provides advance notice to commuters about an upcoming blocked train crossing.

Would you change your route if you knew a train was blocking the crossing? Would you like to know how long the train was going to take? This technology would empower residents to make various decisions about their commutes.

The city plans to apply for the Reconnecting Communities and Federal Railroad Crossing Elimination grant programs. These programs could provide funding for several westside railway crossing improvements to enhance safety and mobility of people.

Preventing trains from dividing our city and blocking commuters – whether you travel on bike, on foot or in a car – will take collaborative effort. Salt Lake City can’t change this alone. Making sure that collaboration happens is my top priority and I am ready to do whatever it takes to alleviate the pain trains inflict on our neighborhoods.

My colleagues and I on the Salt Lake City Council will not stop looking for new and innovative ways to combat this issue and there is nothing we can’t accomplish if we diligently seek community minded solutions.

Salt Lake City Council Member Alejandro Puy

Alejandro Puy is the Salt Lake City Council member for District 2, which is known for the International Peace Gardens and some of the most diverse communities in the city, as well as many transportation hubs.

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