It’s 8:00 a.m. and the parking lot next to the business school is already packed full. Students wait in their cars for what could be an hour, hoping for a car to leave its stall. Come fall, this situation will seem all too familiar to U students.
Some of these students might want to consider whether the wait for a spot beats waiting for trains on the Utah Transit Authority’s TRAX line.
When the U lost 3,200 parking spaces during the Olympics, many students and faculty started using TRAX to cope. The Olympics are now over and the parking problem is less severe than it was during the games.
However, parking will still be as inconvenient as it was prior to the Olympics. Those who became converts to TRAX’s advantages, therefore, should stick with it. Other students who have yet to experience the joys of TRAX can also consider whether it is convenient for their commute.
The U administration’s support of TRAX?and many students’ willingness to try the system out?made it a success during the Olympics, and now the system has a chance to grow more.
A new extension, due for completion by December 2004, will run from Rice-Eccles Stadium to the U Hospital, servicing facilities like the Primary Children’s Hospital, the Huntsman Cancer Institute, the Moran Eye Center, the School of Medicine and other buildings in the area. This will make TRAX even more convenient than it already is.
These improvements make now the perfect time for students with environmental concerns to utilize TRAX.
When more people stop driving and take the big carpool that is TRAX, the toxins caused by car emissions will decrease, making Salt Lake City a healthier place to live and go to school.
The transportation system is also a good money-saving system. In addition to saving on gas costs, students can get around campus without buying parking passes.
Students can use their U Cards to ride TRAX for free and save on the usual $1.50 per-ride charge. The ride is paid for, so a trial ride won’t set anyone back on anything but time, and it might actually save a little of it.