Outdoor Smoking Ban Passes in Salt Lake City

 

The Salt Lake City Council voted unanimously last night to pass an ordinance banning smoking in outdoor public places. This means that it will be against ordinance to smoke in Library Square, on trails, public parks and baseball diamonds, golf courses, soccer fields, city cemetery, and within 25 feet of bus stops and 50 feet of public gatherings of 100 or more people on city property.

Councilwoman Jill Remington Love says, “What we’re really after is a cultural change. We’re really trying to create safe, healthy places with our parks.” 

The initial proposed fine for breaking the ordinance was around $300, but was lowered and passed at $25. Enforcement will be nominal.

Before the ordinance can take effect, it must be signed by the mayor and published in major newspapers, which should take another week or two.

According to the Surgeon General nine other cities in Utah already prohibit smoking in parks;  Clinton, Hyde Park, Logan, Midvale, Riverton, Sandy, South Jordan, Spanish Fork, and West Jordan.

There are close to 600 cities across the country that have outdoor smoking ordinances.

Draper City Approves Light Rail

 

The Draper City Council last night unanimously approved a new light-rail (TRAX) route to run 8 miles through the city and down in Utah County. The new TRAX line will cost $245- $300 million to build and approximately $6 million to run every year.

The debate has gotten heated in the weeks leading up to the vote, with many residences unhappy about the idea of a train running along 3.5 miles of the Porter Rockwell trail.

Utah Transit Authority (UTA) bought the right of way (with the consent of Draper residences) on an existing Union Pacific rail line back in 1993 for the purpose of running TRAX on it.

Trains will run at an average speed of 37 mph every 15 minutes or so and carry an estimated 3540 new riders every weekday. It is estimated that the new rail line will also reduce the number of vehicles on the road by 1150 each weekday.

TRAX says the new route is not high on it’s priorities, with new extensions already planned to the west and north, and estimates the Draper line won’t be running for at least 5-7 years.