Ball Park (UTA station)
Encyclopedia
Ball Park is an island platform
ed light rail
station in the People's Freeway neighborhood of Salt Lake City, serviced by all three lines of the Trax
system. The station was opened in 1999, and is operated by the Utah Transit Authority
. It is located northwest of Spring Mobile Ballpark along 1300 South, a major east–west route through Salt Lake City. Three local UTA buses stop at the station, and a dedicated parking space
is allocated to U Car Share
, a carsharing company located in Salt Lake City.
, but is most associated with the Union Pacific Railroad
). The TRAX tracks north of the station follow the old route of the Salt Lake and Utah, while the tracks south of the area follow those used by Union Pacific. The electrified spur track visible to the northwest of the current station is the northern continuation of the original Union Pacific mainline; only a few traces of the southern continuation of the Salt Lake and Utah line (which headed due southwest to the vicinity of UTA's Redwood Junction station before turning south) remain.
In 1997, when planning for the rebuilt Sandy/Salt Lake line, UTA had envisioned that the area around Ball Park station would go through an urban renewal
, with some of the older houses renovated and new multi-family living constructed around the station. However, UTA property manager Richard Swenson admitted that, "I don't think developers have caught the vision yet." The station was part of the original Trax line (now the Blue Line) opened on December 4, 1999. Students from the nearby Horizonte Instruction and Training Center painted a mural along the side of one of the businesses that are located along the west side of the station in 2000, which were frequent targets for graffiti artists. A Salt Lake City official stated that these murals help keep down graffiti because "...the gangs for some reason respect that kind of artwork."
In 2003, Ball Park station had the third highest auto-theft numbers out of all Trax stations, behind Historic Sandy
and Sandy Civic Center
stations. On October 31, 2006, then-governor Jon Huntsman, Jr.
held a press conference at the station to support Proposition 3, which instituted a quarter-cent raise in the state's sales tax in Salt Lake
and Utah
counties. Proposition 3 included funding for FrontRunner
and, at the time, 33 unknown projects in Salt Lake County.
, capable of serving up to four-car trains, is located on the west side of the 3.2 acre (1.3 ha) property. Two shelters are located on the platform covering small seating areas, with pictures of former Salt Lake Bees
players lining the inside canopy. Three UTA local buses serve (and terminate
) at Ball Park station: routes 9, 248, and 516. Route 9 serves the University of Utah and 900 South, route 248 serves West Valley City
and 4800 West, and route 516 which serves Poplar Grove and Glendale.
A 170-space park and ride
lot is located between the tracks and the neighboring Indian Walk-In Center, providing free parking for riders of Trax and the local bus routes servicing the station. This lot was filled to capacity on most nights during the 2002 Winter Olympics
due to the high use of Trax and buses by locals and spectators. On August 18, 2009, U Car Share
started providing carsharing
services with public pick up and drop off stops at several different Trax stations as well as the University of Utah campus. Three secured bicycle lockers are also located on the facility, but must be rented from UTA in advance for an annual fee. Three ticket machine
s are located on the platform that provide single-ride, round trip, and all day passes, as well as family and discounted fare tickets. The ticket machines are cash-only and provide change in dollar coins and quarters only. Trax ticket machines used to accept UTA fare tokens, which are still accepted on buses, until September 1, 2008, when UTA discontinued their use at Trax machines due to increased token fraud at the ticket machines.
Two driveways from 1300 South allow access to the station by vehicles and buses from the south side of the station as well as the sidewalks on 1300 South and Lucy Lane to the north. 1300 South allows direct access to major arterial roads of West Temple Street, Main Street and State Street (U.S. Route 89
) to the east, and to 300 West and Interstate 15
/80
to the west. There is a sidewalk on the east side of 1300 South that eases pedestrian access to the station as well. Spring Mobile Ballpark, home to the Salt Lake Bees, is located along 1300 South at the corner of West Temple Street, one block from the station.
Island platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
ed light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
station in the People's Freeway neighborhood of Salt Lake City, serviced by all three lines of the Trax
UTA TRAX
TRAX is a three-line light rail system in Utah's Salt Lake Valley, serving Salt Lake City and several of its suburbs throughout Salt Lake County. The system is operated by the Utah Transit Authority ....
system. The station was opened in 1999, and is operated by the Utah Transit Authority
Utah Transit Authority
The Utah Transit Authority operates a public transportation system throughout the Wasatch Front of Utah, United States. It operates fixed route buses, express buses, ski buses, three light rail lines , and a commuter rail line from Salt Lake City to Pleasant View, north of Ogden. UTA is based in...
. It is located northwest of Spring Mobile Ballpark along 1300 South, a major east–west route through Salt Lake City. Three local UTA buses stop at the station, and a dedicated parking space
Parking space
A parking space is a location that is designated for parking, either paved or unpaved.Parking spaces can be in a parking garage, in a parking lot or on a city street. It is usually designated by a white-paint-on-tar rectangle indicated by three lines at the top, left and right of the designated area...
is allocated to U Car Share
U Car Share
UhaulCarShare is a for-profit carsharing service offered by U-Haul in selected cities across the United States, billable hourly or by the day.-Schools Served:* University of Utah* Lynn University* Kenyon College* Northwood University...
, a carsharing company located in Salt Lake City.
History
The current station is near the point where the Salt Lake and Utah interurban streetcar line crossed the first mainline built south from Salt Lake City (which has been known by many namesSalt Lake City Southern Railroad
The Salt Lake City Southern Railroad is a 25-mile shortline operating between Salt Lake City, Utah and Murray, Utah. The SL began operating on April 19, 1993 as a RailTex subsidiary. Today the SL is a subsidiary of the Utah Railway and is owned by the Genesee & Wyoming Inc.-History:The line was...
, but is most associated with the Union Pacific Railroad
Union Pacific Railroad
The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....
). The TRAX tracks north of the station follow the old route of the Salt Lake and Utah, while the tracks south of the area follow those used by Union Pacific. The electrified spur track visible to the northwest of the current station is the northern continuation of the original Union Pacific mainline; only a few traces of the southern continuation of the Salt Lake and Utah line (which headed due southwest to the vicinity of UTA's Redwood Junction station before turning south) remain.
In 1997, when planning for the rebuilt Sandy/Salt Lake line, UTA had envisioned that the area around Ball Park station would go through an urban renewal
Urban renewal
Urban renewal is a program of land redevelopment in areas of moderate to high density urban land use. Renewal has had both successes and failures. Its modern incarnation began in the late 19th century in developed nations and experienced an intense phase in the late 1940s – under the rubric of...
, with some of the older houses renovated and new multi-family living constructed around the station. However, UTA property manager Richard Swenson admitted that, "I don't think developers have caught the vision yet." The station was part of the original Trax line (now the Blue Line) opened on December 4, 1999. Students from the nearby Horizonte Instruction and Training Center painted a mural along the side of one of the businesses that are located along the west side of the station in 2000, which were frequent targets for graffiti artists. A Salt Lake City official stated that these murals help keep down graffiti because "...the gangs for some reason respect that kind of artwork."
In 2003, Ball Park station had the third highest auto-theft numbers out of all Trax stations, behind Historic Sandy
Historic Sandy (UTA station)
Historic Sandy is a light rail station in Sandy, Utah serviced by the Blue Line of the Trax system. It is in a suburban residential area north of 9000 South within Sandy's original street grid, which has much smaller blocks than is standard in Salt Lake County. The south end of the island platform...
and Sandy Civic Center
Sandy Civic Center (UTA station)
Sandy Civic Center is a light rail station in Sandy, Utah serviced by the Blue Line of the Trax system. It is currently the southern terminus of the Blue Line, but an extension to Draper is expected to be built by 2014...
stations. On October 31, 2006, then-governor Jon Huntsman, Jr.
Jon Huntsman, Jr.
Jon Meade Huntsman, Jr. is an American politician and diplomat who served as the 16th Governor of Utah. He also served in the administrations of four United States presidents and is a candidate for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination.Huntsman worked as a White House staff assistant for...
held a press conference at the station to support Proposition 3, which instituted a quarter-cent raise in the state's sales tax in Salt Lake
Salt Lake County, Utah
Salt Lake County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. It had a population of 1,029,655 at the 2010 census. Its county seat and largest city is Salt Lake City, the state capital. It occupies Salt Lake Valley, as well as parts of the surrounding mountains, the Oquirrh Mountains to the west...
and Utah
Utah County, Utah
Utah County is a county located in the U.S. state of Utah. As of 2000, the population was 368,536 and by 2008 was estimated at 530,837. It was named for the Spanish name for the Ute Indians. The county seat and largest city is Provo...
counties. Proposition 3 included funding for FrontRunner
FrontRunner
FrontRunner is a commuter rail system operated by the Utah Transit Authority , serving the northern portion of the Wasatch Front from Salt Lake Central Station to Ogden Union Station. The system opened 26 April 2008...
and, at the time, 33 unknown projects in Salt Lake County.
Services
The single island platformIsland platform
An island platform is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange...
, capable of serving up to four-car trains, is located on the west side of the 3.2 acre (1.3 ha) property. Two shelters are located on the platform covering small seating areas, with pictures of former Salt Lake Bees
Salt Lake Bees
The Salt Lake Bees are a Pacific Coast League minor league baseball team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The Bees serve as the Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. They play their home games at Spring Mobile Ballpark, known to fans as the Apiary, which was...
players lining the inside canopy. Three UTA local buses serve (and terminate
Bus terminus
A bus terminus is a designated place where a bus or coach starts or ends its scheduled route. The terminus is the designated place that a timetable is timed from. Termini can be located at bus stations, interchanges, bus garages or simple bus stops. Termini can both start and stop at the same...
) at Ball Park station: routes 9, 248, and 516. Route 9 serves the University of Utah and 900 South, route 248 serves West Valley City
West Valley City, Utah
West Valley City is a city in Salt Lake County and a suburb of Salt Lake City in the U.S. state of Utah. The population was 129,480 at the 2010 census,...
and 4800 West, and route 516 which serves Poplar Grove and Glendale.
A 170-space park and ride
Park and ride
Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...
lot is located between the tracks and the neighboring Indian Walk-In Center, providing free parking for riders of Trax and the local bus routes servicing the station. This lot was filled to capacity on most nights during the 2002 Winter Olympics
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...
due to the high use of Trax and buses by locals and spectators. On August 18, 2009, U Car Share
U Car Share
UhaulCarShare is a for-profit carsharing service offered by U-Haul in selected cities across the United States, billable hourly or by the day.-Schools Served:* University of Utah* Lynn University* Kenyon College* Northwood University...
started providing carsharing
Carsharing
Car sharing or Carsharing is a model of car rental where people rent cars for short periods of time, often by the hour. They are attractive to customers who make only occasional use of a vehicle, as well as others who would like occasional access to a vehicle of a different type than they use...
services with public pick up and drop off stops at several different Trax stations as well as the University of Utah campus. Three secured bicycle lockers are also located on the facility, but must be rented from UTA in advance for an annual fee. Three ticket machine
Ticket machine
A ticket machine, also known as a ticket vending machine , is a vending machine that produces tickets. For instance, ticket machines dispense train tickets at railway stations and tram tickets at some tram stops and in some trams...
s are located on the platform that provide single-ride, round trip, and all day passes, as well as family and discounted fare tickets. The ticket machines are cash-only and provide change in dollar coins and quarters only. Trax ticket machines used to accept UTA fare tokens, which are still accepted on buses, until September 1, 2008, when UTA discontinued their use at Trax machines due to increased token fraud at the ticket machines.
Two driveways from 1300 South allow access to the station by vehicles and buses from the south side of the station as well as the sidewalks on 1300 South and Lucy Lane to the north. 1300 South allows direct access to major arterial roads of West Temple Street, Main Street and State Street (U.S. Route 89
U.S. Route 89 in Utah
In the U.S. state of Utah, U.S. Route 89 is a long north–south state highway spanning more than through the central part of the state. Between Provo and Brigham City, US-89 serves as a local road, paralleling Interstate 15, but the portions from Arizona north to Provo and Brigham City...
) to the east, and to 300 West and Interstate 15
Interstate 15 in Utah
In the U.S. state of Utah, Interstate 15 runs north–south through the southwestern and central portions of the state, passing through many of the population centers of that state, including St. George, Provo, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, the latter three being part of the urban area known as...
/80
Interstate 80 in Utah
In the U.S. state of Utah, Interstate 80 runs east–west through northern part of the state, passing through the Bonneville Salt Flats, the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, the Wasatch Mountains and Echo canyon. In western Utah the highway was built along the corridor of the Victory...
to the west. There is a sidewalk on the east side of 1300 South that eases pedestrian access to the station as well. Spring Mobile Ballpark, home to the Salt Lake Bees, is located along 1300 South at the corner of West Temple Street, one block from the station.