Own Utah Homes and Utah Real Estate

Dining in the Greater Ogden Area

2008-10-05T19:33:00.000-07:00

Dining

Don’t be fooled by Ogden’s laid back lifestyle; we take dining seriously. Whether you’re craving steak and potatoes or fresh sushi, expect to experience excellent food, friendly and attentive service and minimal wait time. The national chains with a franchise in the Ogden area meet and exceed their corporate standards. In addition, our exceptional and locally owned establishments are sure to please. In most local joints, you will find loyal diners who come in regularly for the food, the local vibe and the conversation.

HEART OF THE CITY

Craving fresh and light cuisine, served in an eclectic, artistic environment? Head to the heart of the city. The 26 unique and exceptional brews at Roosters, are doubly enhanced by their superb menu offerings. Bistro 258 serves up a killer seafood linguini. The Artisan Grille has great food and a truly fantastic dessert menu. Steak and potato eaters can find an excellent cut of meat at Prairie Schooner.

AROUND TOWN

Hankering for consistently good food from a familiar menu? You’ll find most of your favorite national chains on Riverdale Road. The Gateway Center at the Ogden airport is home to Rickenbackers. In addition to an excellently prepared American menu, you can take in an amazing view of the Wasatch range. Maple Gardens hasn’t changed their menu in 25 years of business. No need, the food is always great. Szechwan chicken has been the #1 menu choice for over a decade.

UP THE CANYON

Leaving town doesn’t leave you without dining options. There are plenty of great places to eat up the canyon. Timbermine Steakhouse at the mouth of the canyon serves up a great slab of beef in a charming mining town setting, Gray Cliff Lodge specializes in fresh trout and homemade cinnamon rolls. At Wolf Creek Resort, the Wolf Creek Grill, offers contemporary classic American cuisine and The Rusty Cactus serves up more casual, Tex-Mex fare. Alpine Pizza offers both standard and specialty pies.

Ogden Utah Press - The Best is yet to come!

2008-10-05T19:16:00.000-07:00

Ogden Utah has had a lot of positive things happening.
Here are some of the recent press articles and information that have been published.

Outside Magazine
August 2008

National Geographic Adventure
September 2008

Rock and Ice Magazine
September 2008

Ogden Utah Real Estate seems is still one of the greatest investments in the nation!
See: www.OwnUtah.com for more information or call Robert Bolar at 801-920-4620

WiFi on Front Runner Commuter Rail

2008-09-22T06:54:00.000-07:00

North Ogden and Pleasant View residents who commute to and from work in Utah are finding it easy to get work done during the commute because of emerging and improved wireless connections on the state’s commuter buses and trains. The FrontRunner Commuter Rail that runs between Ogden and Salt Lake City now has fiber optic cables running under the tracks which let users connect to the Internet at speeds of approximately 5 Mbps. The commuter buses in the same area also offer Wi-Fi connections although you have to use a broadband card to connect and speeds aren’t quite so fast. There are additional plans in the works in the area including a broadband system similar to that of the FrontRunner system which is set to be complete in the Utah Valley by 2012. This new service will help those Utah Home owners wanting to live 45 minutes out from SLC to have internet access while on the way to work.

Utah Real Estate Agent Born Blind and Selling Utah Homes

2008-09-21T08:56:00.000-07:00

Linda has shown our office that we must look past our limits and explore all that is in reach. We are proud to have Linda in our office and look foward to helping her make the most of her professional real estate practice. Real estate agent Linda Lifsey can be contacted by calling: 801-866-3137. See the full story at www.SellUtah.com
by: Robert Bolar

New companies in Ogden

2008-09-14T15:20:00.000-07:00

New companies have shown great confidence in Ogden. Adam’s Aircraft, Descente North America, Goode Skis, Kahuna Creations, JDH group, and others to be announced have brought their national headquarters and facilities to Ogden to take advantage of Ogden’s resources, relative low cost, well educated employees, and unique geographical ability to provide easy access to air, truck, and rail transportation.

Utah No. 2 in U.S. livability rankings

2008-04-07T10:07:00.000-07:00

Utah No. 2 in U.S. livability rankings
By Suzanne Struglinski
Deseret Morning News
Published: April 7, 2008
WASHINGTON — Some Utah residents may already think the state is a great place to live or work, but now they have official data to back it up.

Utah finished second in The CQ Press state livability rankings, up two slots from its fourth-place finish last year. It was also declared one of the top 10 states to support businesses.

New Hampshire has claimed the top spot in the livability rankings for five years in a row, while Mississippi has finished at the bottom for nine years. The rankings are in "State Rankings 2008: A Statistical View of America," published by CQ Press.

"This impressive ranking is a reflection of our state's unparalleled quality of life and exemplary economic success," Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. said in a statement. "Utah truly offers 'Life Elevated.'"

CQ Press, a division of Congressional Quarterly, based its rankings on 44 different factors, ranging from education, economic development, public safety, environment and public health to median household income and the crime rate, sunny days and infant mortality rate.

"Utah boasts one of the nation's lowest unemployment rates, while maintaining one of the highest job-growth rates," said Jason Perry, executive director of the Governor's Office of Economic Development. "Our focus on education along with our skillful work force makes Utah a great place for doing business. The affordable cost of living, the beautiful scenic life, and the countless recreational opportunities truly qualify Utah as one of the 'Most Livable States in the Nation.'"

Meanwhile, Utah ranks nine out of 10 in a report issued Wednesday called "Keeping Jobs In America: Pollina Corporate Top 10 Pro-Business States 2008." The annual study evaluates of job creation and retention efforts of the federal government and all 50 state governments.

"For the second year in a row, Utah's political leaders have proven that they truly understand what it takes for a state to provide an environment for business growth and expansion," according to Dr. Brent A. Pollina, vice president of Pollina Corporate and the study's author. "Utah continues to place strongly in the areas of employee quality, good infrastructure, low corporate taxes and high quality of life."

Utah is just above Kansas in the rankings, while North Carolina took first place.

"This report continues the good business news for the state of Utah. To again be recognized in the 'Pollina Corporate Top 10 Pro-Business States' acknowledges the momentum Utah maintains in its job creation and retention efforts," Huntsman said. "While the national economy struggles, Utah companies continue to grow and recruit top-quality professionals with long-term, high paying jobs in Utah."

The Pollina study evaluates and ranks states based on 28 factors, including taxes, human resources, right-to-work legislation, energy costs, infrastructure spending, workers compensation legislation and jobs lost or gained.

Last month, Utah was ranked first in the The Pew Center on States Government Performance Project for 2008. The state got an overall "A minus" for how the government manages information, people, money and infrastructure.

CITY COUNCIL –PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA

2008-04-04T14:33:00.000-07:00

CITY COUNCIL –PLANNING COMMISSION AGENDA
JOINT MEETING
APRIL 1, 2008 - 5:30PM
505 EAST 2600 NORTH
NORTH OGDEN CITY, UTAH
Welcome, Invocation & Pledge of Allegiance: Mayor Gary Harrop
Joint Meeting Agenda
1. Public comments.
2. Discussion and/or action on the Concept Plan for Country Boy PRUD.
Presenter: Craig Barker, Community Development Director
3. Discussion on proposed changes to Title 11 Chapter 16, Home Occupation, the
prohibition of conducting business in garages or buildings separate from the home.
Presenter: Craig Barker, Community Development Director
Council Agenda
4. Discussion and/or action to set May 13, 2008 as the date for a Public Hearing to discuss
borrowing funds from the Sanitary Sewer Enterprise Fund to finance the cost of a water
treatment system for the North Shore Aquatic Center.
Presenter: Ed Dickie, City Administrator
5. Public/Council comments.
6. Closed meeting to discuss the sale of property.
7. Discussion and/or action on an offer from Ryan Johnson to purchase property in Cold
Water Cove Subdivision.
Presenter: Annette Spendlove, City Recorder
8. Adjournment.

Kelsey Nixon North Ogden Utah resident could be next big celebrity chef

2008-04-03T07:31:00.000-07:00

North Ogden Utah resident could be next big celebrity chef
The 23-year-old has been selected as one of 10 finalists for the fourth season of "The Next Food Network Star," which premieres June 1. The winner of this cool show will get there own on air six- episode cooking program. Kelsey went to Brigham Young University and she works as a culinary instructor.
Congratulations Kelsey!

North Ogden Real Estate Office on Wheels Robert Bolar Coldwell Banker Utah

2008-03-31T14:59:00.000-07:00

North Ogden Real Estate Office on Wheels Robert Bolar Coldwell Banker Utah

When Robert Bolar embarked in a career in Technology in 1996 he had no idea that it would ever help him market so much North Ogden Utah Real Estate. Robert has harnessed the power of the Internet to market homes and bring buyers and sellers together in the Greater Ogden Utah Area.

Salt Lake City, UT, March 31, 2008 -- Robert Bolar, recently received, “The Professional Achievement Award”, from the Weber North Davis Association of Realtors for the 4th year in a row. With his desire to provide his customers with the best choice when they are planning to buy or sell a home, Robert Bolar offers a broad selection of selling tools to choose from; one to fit their needs, expectations and budget. By using IDX Broker's lead generation tools and traffic reports, he can make sure his visitors receive a truly custom experience. Robert Bolar is able to use a custom IDX feed to present his website visitors with customizable options. He offers consumers the ability to choose advanced searches, price and location based searches and searches by the MLS number. Clients can define their housing criteria by everything from price to neighborhood to square footage to style all conveniently located at http://www.SellUtah.com .

Robert Bolar teaches the GRI 200 course for the Utah Association of Realtors. This advanced Utah Real Estate course is centered around the use of Technology in the Real Estate business. Robert has taken the traditional Real Estate model and made it ultra portable. His office is literally on wheels, a Toyota Sequoia and a Toyota Prius with the ability to print fax scan and copy documents from the road. All of this combined with high speed mobile web access give customers an awesome advantage. He can be driving past a home, pull up all of the home details, previous sale information in a matter of seconds. Robert can stream video right from a home or the road to customers on the web. Many customers are able to see a Ogden Area MLS Homes and narrow the selection before arriving in Utah.

Clients looking for world class customer service without hassle and wasted time in a traditional Real Estate office should call Robert Bolar today or visit his website. Ogden, Pleasant View and Ogden Valley Homes agent at your service.

For additional information on the news that is the subject of this release (or for a free market analysis), contact Robert Bolar. Robert can be reached at 801-920-4620 or by a simple click at his site.

Today, the Coldwell Banker® network of commercial brokers can be found in 30 countries in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia, providing the largest geographic footprint of any commercial real estate organization. Robert Bolar and Coldwell Banker "Selling Utah One Home at a Time." Utah Real Estate get the facts. Call today for a free home evaluation 801-920-4620.

Contact:
Robert Bolar, director of public relations
RobertBolar.com
801-920-4620

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Utah Recognized as the Best Managed State in the Nation

2008-03-23T09:10:00.001-07:00

Utah Recognized as the Best Managed State in the Nation

Utah Receives Highest Grade in National State Management Report Card

Salt Lake City - The State of Utah has been named the best managed state in the nation, based on the most authoritative and respected review of States, the Pew Center on States' 2008 report. Utah's top spot with the highest grade point average is an improvement over the State's previous No. 2 ranking.

"Utah taxpayers are definitely getting the best bang for their buck," Governor Huntsman said. "We continue to work like never before to cross boundaries in state government to create an infrastructure that is effective and efficient."

Utah received the only solid 'A' in money management, thanks to a cooperative and proactive approach in dealing with state financial issues.

"Utah is a very good example of a state whose strong focus on making sound financial decisions is paying dividends for its citizens," said Susan Urahn, managing director of the Pew Center on the States, of which the Grading Performance Project is a part. "Utah is thinking about the future in all its decisions-from the maintenance of state-owned buildings to its employees' post-retirement health care-all to ensure that the state's critical work for the public gets done."

"This honor isn't based on a single decision, but a culture of fiscal responsibility and prudent innovation, said Senate President John Valentine. "It's the boring work that pays the bills. Utah's officials work quietly but diligently to maintain a standard of excellence and it's nice to see the state get some recognition for those efforts. Top notch fiscal management is a team effort."

"We work well together between the legislative and executive branch and there is a spirit of cooperation," said House Speaker Greg Curtis. "We strive to do what's best for the citizens of the State of Utah."

Utah was also recognized for its performance management. The State's recent balance scorecard initiative and performance website, http://performance.utah.gov, promote continuous improvement and greater transparency in state government.

The Grading the States 2008 Report's findings are developed in partnership with Governing Magazine.

Robert Bolar CRS, GRI, e-PRO 801-920-4620

2008-03-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

Robert Bolar Realtor CRS, GRI e-PRO
Originally uploaded by OwnUtah.Com

Hershey Company Announces New Facility in Ogden

2008-03-01T08:52:00.000-08:00

The Hershey Company, North America's largest manufacturer of quality chocolate and sugar confectionery products, announced today that it would accept an incentive offered by the State of Utah for a distribution center to be built in Business Depot Ogden.

"We're very pleased to be building Hershey's new distribution center in Ogden," said David J. West, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Hershey Company. "I want to thank the State of Utah and the city of Ogden for their support. Our new distribution center represents a significant investment in Utah and will contribute to Hershey's long-term success by enabling us to meet the needs of our customers."

Hershey's investment in Utah, like that of other nationally recognized companies that are coming to our State, underscores the strength of the Utah economy going forward.

"Our productive workforce, superior location and transportation infrastructure, along with an unparalleled quality of life will continue to keep Utah in the forefront as one of America's best states for business," said Governor Jon Huntsman. "Hershey will be a great addition to the growing and vibrant Ogden community."

With revenues of nearly $5 billion and almost 13,000 employees worldwide, The Hershey Company markets such iconic brands as Hershey's, Reese's, Hershey's Kisses, Kit Kat, Twizzlers and Ice Breakers.

The location of a new western distribution center in Utah is part of a company plan to make their distribution footprint more flexible, cost effective and relevant for their customers. More than 100 new full-time jobs will be created in Ogden, Utah with projected wages well above the Weber County median salary. New state revenue will be about $13 million over 10 years, and the company expects to make a capital investment of about $38 million in the facility.

"A team of partners were involved in helping attract the Hershey Company to the Business Depot Ogden. Among those involved with Ogden City were the Governor's Office of Economic Development, the Economic Development Corporation of Utah, Big D Construction and GSBS Architects. It took everyone to make this happen," said Ogden Mayor Matthew Godfrey.

What A Great Time To Buy!

2008-03-01T08:46:00.001-08:00

Forbes.com rates Salt Lake City the #1 best city For Bargain House-Hunters.

February 7th, 2008 - Of the major metros in the U.S., Salt Lake City is adding jobs faster than anywhere. The economic boom in SLC has drawn residents from all over the country, and more than a few home builders trying to make a profit in these otherwise woeful times. Housing supply has gone up quickly, and there hasn't been a high rate of foreclosure.

Property sharks looking to take advantage of local housing slumps are doing their best to time the market, searching for the precise moment when prices bottom out before taking a bite.

They'd be smart to look for markets where job growth is strong, foreclosures are relatively low and inventory is high. With these factors in place, buyers can still dictate terms of sale and negotiate prices, but aren't as exposed to the economic and lending risk problems that have sunk many markets around the country.

Good places to look? Salt Lake City and Raleigh, N.C., where there are plenty of sellers slashing prices, but not because of a lending meltdown.

Timing a market is tricky business, and prices alone may not be the best way to determine a bargain opportunity.

What you need is a buyers' market, where there is healthy job growth and more houses available than people to buy them. This is not due to foreclosures and economic downturn, but to overbuilding that should balance out in time.

These markets "are where you have high inventories but pliable borrowers, with lenders willing to deal," says Anthony Sanders, a professor of finance at Arizona State University.

Behind The Numbers
Our list includes 2006-2007 data on job growth, from the Bureau of Labor statistics; foreclosure data from RealtyTrac, an online database of foreclosures gleaned from multiple listing services, bank-owned properties, bankruptcy records, loan histories, tax liens and lender information; and ZipRealty, an online firm that tracks vacancy rates through multiple listing services.

In addition to Houston, Salt Lake City and Raleigh, what we found were soft markets such as Orlando, Fla., Charlotte, N.C., and Jacksonville, Fla., where the damage from risky lending isn't as drastic as other parts of the country, and where employment growth suggests inventory can burn off at a healthy rate.

Job growth matters, as it's a sign that people are moving to a city and that they're building the roots and wealth to buy a home. On this measure, we used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics from 2006 to 2007 to calculate which markets are adding people to payrolls. The timing of the data also weeds out any places that saw their job growth explode in past years due heavily to housing or jobs that are now gone, and we excluded any city losing jobs from our list. Excess housing inventory and job loss don't pair well.

But fast job growth coupled with a high foreclosure rate points to a more volatile market, one where economic activity might be slowing, or where prices were untenable from the very beginning.

Kermit Baker, an economist at the Harvard University Joint Center for Housing Studies, says that the equity problems that lead to foreclosures are more often than not "the result of economic conditions in the market as a whole," or "an overheated market."

Neither condition makes for a bargain because there's too much risk involved.

Sellers in subprime troubled markets, for example, might be anxious to sell to save whatever equity they have. Of course, this is more or less like being handed a grenade. If you bought a house in Stockton, right now, where there's one foreclosure for every 31 households, according to RealtyTrac, it's likely that prices will continue to plummet.

You won't be getting a bargain, you'll be buying cheap.

Instead, a bargain buy in an overbuilt market exposes you to less risk and comes with the satisfaction of not profiting at someone else's foreclosure misery.

-Source Forbes.com

Salt Lake rated best place in nation to find a job

2008-01-17T07:05:00.000-08:00

Salt Lake rated best place in nation to find a job
January 14th, 2008 @ 8:35am
Tom Callan reporting

Salt Lake City is best in the nation when it comes to job opportunities. That's the latest conclusion in Forbes magazine.

Do we need to change the Utah license plate from "Greatest Snow on Earth" to "Salt Lake City: Best Place to Find a Job?"

The Forbes survey actually ranks Texas as the best state to work. Salt Lake City is buoyed to the top of the list by a profusion of high tech.

Buffalo, NY, gets top honors for lowest cost of living. San Jose, Calif., capital of Silicon Valley, has the highest cost of living.

Utah Realtor Robert Bolar's Office #3

2007-12-30T17:28:00.001-08:00

Robert Bolar Office
Originally uploaded by OwnUtah.Com

This is where it really all happens when I am not in my mobile office working. Technology is high on my list so that I can bring my clients the highest service at a quick rate. This picture is my home office in North Ogden. I have another office in South Ogden so that I can best serve all of your Real Estate Needs.

Respectfully,
Robert Bolar
Certified Residential Specialist CRS
Graduate Realtor Institute GRI
Internet Real Estate Professional e-PRO
Certified State of Utah Real Estate Instructor
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Coldwell Banker
"Selling Utah One Home At A Time" ®
(801) 920.4620 Fax: (866) 676.4789
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
www.SellUtah.com
www.OwnUtah.com

BEST ACCESS TO THE OUTDOORS | OGDEN, UTAH

2007-12-30T17:23:00.000-08:00

BEST ACCESS TO THE OUTDOORS | OGDEN, UTAH

Stephen Trimble from Sunset Magazine
Wasatch Range overlooks Ogden cityscape: A new trail system links them.

The freedom to roam

When it comes to easy access to the great outdoors, Ogden, Utah, had considerable help from nature. The city backs up against the Wasatch Range, whose peaks rise to 9,000 feet and whose face is carved by spectacularly deep mountain canyons.

But man helped too. Take a closer look at Ogden's mountain backdrop, and you'll see footpaths rambling here and there. The Bonneville Shoreline Trail cruises north-south along the mountains' feet, while the Great Western Trail traces many of the ridgelines. Other routes run up Coldwater Canyon, Taylor Canyon, Strongs Canyon, and Burch Creek, connecting with national forest trails that run deeper into the mountains. All in all there are 28 miles of trails to lure hikers, bikers, horse lovers, snowshoers, and nordic skiers out of the city and into the Wasatch.

Why is Ogden blessed with such a wonderful network of trails? The answer, replies Jay Hudson, an Ernest Hemingway look-alike who volunteers many of his hours to the Ogden Trails Network, is simple. "As a group, we were trying to make sure we had public access to the mountains," he says.

Cyclist Joel Bingham says that the easy trail access draws thousands of riders into the hills throughout the year. "It's unique because it's so accessible. There are good parking lots and trailheads."

Just as the trails stream out of the mountains into the city, so do two rivers – the Ogden and the Weber. Come late spring and into the summer, you can cool your hiking-weary toes in these streams or watch kayakers and canoers lured by a watery playground developed for paddlers in the Weber River.

Copyright 2002 Sunset Publishing Corporation

First Procter & Gamble and now the Hershey Co.

2007-11-23T21:06:00.001-08:00

By Brice Wallace
Deseret Morning News

First Procter & Gamble and now the Hershey Co.
The Governor's Office of Economic Development Board, fresh from landing a P&G plant for Box Elder County, on Friday approved what they hope is a sweet incentive to land a Western distribution center for the giant candymaking company.

The board also approved an incentive for a food manufacturing facility, and the company said immediately after the meeting that it will put the plant at Business Depot Ogden.

The Hershey distribution center also would be at BDO, and Utah is competing with Arizona and Nevada for the project, which would add 123 full-time jobs.

Hershey issued a statement after the meeting saying it is "evaluating various options as it realigns its distribution network to provide superior customer service. We appreciate the incentives offered by the city of Ogden and the state of Utah. We look forward to continuing to work closely with Economic Development Corp. of Utah and the Governor's Office of Economic Development as we further consider our options."

The state incentive would be a 20 percent rebate of certain taxes the project would create. Its maximum would be $2.6 million. Hershey would be required to keep the facility in Utah 10 years and pay at least 40 percent above the county median wage.

Frequently Asked Questions FrontRunner commuter rail

2007-11-23T20:44:00.000-08:00

Frequently Asked Questions
Is typical commuter rail the same as UTA TRAX?
Commuter rail is not the same type of service as TRAX. TRAX is a "light rail" system, which typically have more frequent stops than commuter rail. Light rail is also typically used for trips that are shorter in duration.

Light rail is powered by electricity and reaches top speeds of approximately 65 mph. The Weber County to Salt Lake City Commuter Rail Project will use diesel locomotives and two level passenger coaches to carry passengers. The top speed of the commuter rail system is 79 mph.

Where is the commuter rail line located?
In September 2002, the Utah Transit Authority completed a purchase of 175 miles of railroad rights-of-way from Union Pacific Railroad. The rights-of-way stretch from Brigham City to Payson, preserving valuable rail corridors for decades of transit projects along the Wasatch Front.

The first phase of the commuter rail alignment will extend from Weber County to Salt Lake City and lies on the east side of the existing Union Pacific (UP) Railroad mainline tracks. The alignment will extend 44 miles, contain 38.15 miles of exclusive right-of-way, share 5.87 miles of track with UP, have 43 at grade crossings and two bridges spanning the Union Pacific Ogden Rail Yard. View Map

When is the FrontRunner commuter rail segment between Weber County and Salt Lake City planned to be finished?
UTA anticipates opening the FrontRunner Commuter Rail Line between Weber County to Salt Lake City commuter rail line in Spring of 2008.

How is the commuter rail project funded?
Funding for the commuter rail project comes from several sources. First, from federal funds. Second, from the ¼ cent sales tax increase passed in 2000 by voters in Weber, Davis and Salt Lake Counties. Third, from local match generated by improvements made by local governments and private developers.

How can FrontRunner commuter rail benefit me?
Traffic congestion along the Wasatch Front, Davis County in particular, is an ever-increasing problem. With the population steadily increasing, transportation solutions are crucial to avoid further congestion. Commuter rail can provide a fast, comfortable and efficient transit alternative. For example, instead of being frustrated from sitting idly in traffic on I-15, you could be reading a newspaper or talking to a friend while quickly getting to your destination. Commuter rail service could be good for all your transportation needs, whether going to work, shopping, sporting events or just for a fun ride!

Can FrontRunner commuter rail really save me time?
During peak commute times, your commute on the train may be shorter than your time would be on the freeway covering the same distance. Trains typically average speeds of 60 miles per hour while traffic on I-15 may average 35 miles per hour during rush hour.

Where are stations planned for commuter rail?
Eight stations are currently proposed along the 44-mile Weber County to Salt Lake City commuter rail line. Each station will have an 850-foot platform to accommodate a 10-car consist, park and ride lots and bus staging. The proposed station locations include:

- Salt Lake City: 200 South 600 West, at the City's intermodal hub
- Woods Cross: 700 South 800 West
- Farmington: east of the new Park Lane bridge
- Layton: south of Gentile on Main Street
- Clearfield: 1250 South State Street
- Roy: 2500 West and south of 4000 South
- Ogden: at Ogden's Intermodal Center at 24th Street and Wall Avenue
- Pleasant View: north of 2700 North at about 1200 West
How much may it cost me to ride FrontRunner commuter rail?
UTA has announced that the FrontRunner commuter rail base fare will be $2.50 for transportation to the next station and $0.50 for each additional station passed. The maximum fare from Pleasant View to Salt Lake City would be $5.50.

How often will the FrontRunner commuter rail trains run?
FrontRunner will run a minimum of every 30 minutes during daytime hours and an hourly night time service. FrontRunner service will run from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturdays. No Sunday service is scheduled at this time. Limited service from Ogden to Pleasant View will be supplemented with express bus service.

How could commuter rail connect with other forms of transit?
The stations along the FrontRunner commuter rail line are planned to bus transfer sites, which may be similar to how riders transfer between bus service and TRAX. Park & ride lots are proposed for each station.

Intermodal Centers are transportation "hubs," offering connecting service to other forms of transit. Two of the proposed commuter rail stations are located at the site of intermodal hubs, one in Ogden and one in Salt Lake City.

At this time, UTA is working with Salt Lake City to extend TRAX from the Delta Center to the Salt Lake City Intermodal Hub.

Is safety on FrontRunner commuter rail trains, at stations and in parking lots a concern?
Safety has been and will always be a top priority for UTA, and the agency's bus and TRAX system have excellent safety records. Riders in other communities consistently report that safety is one of the primary reasons they ride commuter rail, and UTA is actively studying safety and security measures on the commuter rail vehicles, at the stations and in the park and ride lots.

Is FrontRunner commuter rail accessible for people with disabilities?
Yes. Commuter Rail including its stations and park and ride lots will be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Can I give input on the FrontRunner commuter rail project?
Yes. UTA wants commuter rail to be a "community rail" project and has implemented a pro-active public outreach program. Your comments and questions can be submitted through this website or by calling UTA at 1-877-UTA-RAIL. In addition, you can join a mailing list on this website to keep up to date with the project.

New Utah Commuter Rail Makes First Run

2007-11-23T20:41:00.001-08:00

Written by: Doug G. Ware

The new FrontRunner commuter rail system made its first run on Thursday morning, showing how the train will carry passengers from Weber County to Salt Lake City when it opens to the public in a few months.

The Utah Transit Authority allowed members of the media, other officials and members of the community to ride three bi-level (double decker) Bombardier trains on a 15-mile trek from Woods Cross to Kaysville for the system's first run, before returning to Woods Cross. The train traveled at a top speed of 79 miles per hour during the initial run.

The FrontRunner commuter rail system was announced in 2006, with plans to shuttle passengers among various locations between Salt Lake City and Pleasant View, which is just north of Ogden. Its purpose is to reduce the number of vehicles on the road while offering a pleasant and effortless commute to thousands of Utahns along the Wasatch Front. Plans to expand the FrontRunner line to Utah County are currently underway pending the outcome of an environmental study.

The FrontRunner, scheduled to open in April 2008, is just one of many ongoing projects being managed by UTA. Expansions to the existing Trax lines are about to undergo construction. They include light rail lines to the West Jordan area, Draper, West Valley and Salt Lake City International Airport.

UTA's Intermodal Hub, located behind the Union Pacific main station on Rio Grande Street (just south of the Gateway), will serve as the main transfer station for commuters making the move from FrontRunner to Trax. For example, someone commuting from Weber County to downtown Salt Lake City will exit the FrontRunner train at the Intermodal Hub and board a Trax train that serves the downtown/University/Sandy area.

The line running from Pleasant View to Salt Lake City is approximately 85 percent complete and engineers are working to test the safety mechanisms.

"We still have a lot of testing to do. We are testing the vehicles. We are testing the train-control system to make sure we have the safest, most effective system we can," said Steve Meyer, UTA's project manager for the FrontRunner.

When the North Rail line is finished, it will be served by eight different stations between Weber County and Salt Lake City. Each will be large enough to allow passengers to board up to 10 train cars at the same time. Each bi-level train is capable of carrying up to 250 people; with 80 seats on the upper level and 50 on the lower level. The remaining passengers will be able to stand while riding the train.

Trains will operate every 30 minutes between 5:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. from Monday to Friday; and 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. on Saturday. The train will not run on Sundays. The cost of passage on the FrontRunner is $2.50 to travel between two stations and an additional 50 cents for every station after that. However, the cost of FrontRunner fare includes passage on Trax light rail and/or UTA buses to get you to your ultimate destination (some restrictions apply). Monthly passes, which allow unlimited travel on the train, will cost $145.

The trains will also feature a variety of amenities, like on board restrooms and Wi-Fi Internet service available at no cost. Some of the seating even includes a center table.

Established in 1970, UTA says one of its primary goals is to make the FrontRunner the most cost-effective system in the United States by providing the highest quality experience for the rider at the lowest possible cost to the public.

Public transportation along the Wasatch Front has seen a substantial growth in riders since Trax began operating in 1999. Combined with today's higher cost of gasoline, the appeal of UTA's light rail system has introduced an alternative mode of transportation that many Utahns continue to utilize.

Lawmaker seeks to outlaw ticket quotas

2007-11-23T20:36:00.000-08:00

Hansen says 'cash cow' for cities puts the public at risk

By Brock Vergakis
The Associated Press

It's every motorist's end-of-month fear: ticket quotas.
Most police departments insist that quotas are urban legends.
But a growing number of states are beginning to outlaw the practice of requiring police officers to issue a certain number of traffic tickets to meet performance goals.
Rep. Neil Hansen, D-Ogden, wants Utah to join the list.
''It really becomes a cash cow for the municipality to write tickets,'' he said.
Hansen said police departments are turning into tax collectors instead of allowing officers to use their discretion. He said this puts the public at risk because police patrol areas that generate more revenue instead of the most dangerous, and that police spend time writing tickets to meet goals instead of doing more important work.
''What it really boils down to is, if I'm an officer and a sergeant told me I need to write eight tickets a day, I also have calls of domestic disputes and shoplifting. It's getting to be about an hour before my time is off, and I'm just going to go write a ticket for the first person I see,'' he said.
Hansen tried to outlaw ticket quotas last year. His bill passed in the House, but failed to get enough support in a Senate committee. It failed on a 2-to-2 vote while three other lawmakers were absent.
His primary opposition is the police chief of his

own town - who is also a member of the Senate.
Sen. Jon Greiner, R-Ogden, says Hansen doesn't have any proof of a quota system in Utah. He said Hansen is ''maligning'' his department, and Hansen's bill could keep police officers from issuing any tickets.
He said Hansen and other supporters of the bill need to decide if they want traffic laws enforced.
''They can't have it both ways, and say we want people to be safe but don't enforce, don't write tickets. Which is it this week?'' he said.
Hansen contends Ogden's police department is notorious for using a quota system. Greiner disagrees.
Both agree that the department uses the number of citations issued by an officer as part of an annual job review. The number of citations issued is one of more than a dozen criteria the department uses to evaluate employees.
Greiner said officers helped set the goals and believe they are reasonable. To get the highest rating in that category, Greiner said officers need to issue five citations a week. But, he said, with other criteria used to evaluate employees, officers could still get a raise even if they never issued a single ticket.
Nine states, including Montana, Texas and Florida, have statutes prohibiting law enforcement from setting ticket quotas. Hansen said he believes he has the support this year to make it illegal in Utah, too.
''I'm pretty sure it's going to pass this year. I've had more legislators come to me and say, 'If you run your bill, I'm on board this time.' They're seeing it in their communities now, and they're starting to see it's a bigger and widespread problem,'' he said.
Orem Police Chief Michael Larsen said he's not opposed to the idea of banning quotas, but Hansen's bill goes too far.
Hansen named Orem as a Utah city with a quota problem, although Larsen said the department has never had a quota system in the 30 years he's worked there.
''On every stop they make, it's their discretion whether they write a citation or not or to give a warning,'' he said. ''We have evaluation criteria and . . . one of those criteria is productivity. But that does not necessarily include traffic enforcement. It's a wide scope of 'What is this employee doing on a day-to-day basis?' "
Larsen said most traffic enforcement is driven by calls from residents complaining about speeding. He said if Hansen's bill passes, an officer could refuse to write any tickets.
''It prevents me from managing my department and responding to citizen concerns,'' he said.
What it really boils down to is, if I'm an officer and a sergeant told me I need to write eight tickets a day, I also have calls of domestic disputes and shoplifting. It's getting to be about an hour before my time is off, and I'm just going to go write a ticket for the first person I see.
- Rep. Neil Hansen, D-Ogden
They can't have it both ways, and say we want people to be safe but don't enforce, don't write tickets. Which is it this week?
- Republican Sen. Jon Greiner, R-Ogden and also the city's police chief

Utah's State Symbols and Motto

2007-11-23T20:21:00.000-08:00

State Symbols
Animal - Rocky Mountain Elk
Bird - California Seagull
Cooking Pot - Dutch Oven
Emblem - Beehive
Fish - Bonneville Cutthroat Trout
Flag and Seal
Flower - Sego Lily
Folk Dance - Square Dance
Fossil - Allosaurus
Fruit - Cherry
Gem - Topaz
Grass - Indian Ricegrass
Hymn - "Utah, We Love Thee " by Evan Stephen
Insect - Honey Bee
Mineral - Copper
Motto - "Industry"
Rock - Coal
Song - "Utah, This is the Place" by Sam and Gary Francis
Star and Astronomical symbol - Dubhe and Beehive Cluster
Tartan - Utah centennial tartan
Tree - Blue Spruce
Vegetable - Spanish Sweet Onion
Historic Vegetable - Sugar Beet

Glossary of Utah Terms

2007-11-23T20:20:00.000-08:00

Compiled from Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, Utah Place Names by John VanCott, and A History of Utah's American Indians edited by Forrest Cuch.

Bryce Canyon National Park Park was established in 1928 by President Hoover and is named for Ebenezer Bryce, a pioneer cattleman who homesteaded in the area.

Deseret The provisional state created in 1849 by Brigham Young. The U.S. Congress eliminated it by creating the Territory of Utah in September 1850. The term comes from the Book of Mormon, an LDS religious text, and means honeybee.

DuchesneA town near the junction of the Strawberry and Duchesne rivers that was settled in 1904. There are several ideas on where the name originated. Some people believe the name came from the French trapper Du Chasne, while others think it is for the French nun, Rose Du Chesne. Others believe it came from the name of an early Indian chief.

GoshuteAmerican Indian tribe that lives in western Utah and is part of the larger Shoshonean-speaking groups. Variant spelling: Gosiute.

HeberA town in Wasatch county that was initially settled in 1858. Most of the settlers were converts to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from England, where Heber C. Kimball was a missionary for the LDS Church. The town was named in honor of him.

Hurricane A town in southern Utah located at the junction of U-59, U-9, and the Virgin River that was settled in 1906.

Kanab A town in southern Utah that was settled in 1864, then evacuated in 1866 due to troubles with the American Indians, and resettled in 1871. The name comes from a Paiute word meaning willow.

Lehi A city in Utah County just off of I-15. It is home to the Lehi Roller Mills where scenes from the movie "Footloose" were filmed. The town is named after a prophet in the Book of Mormon, a book of scripture used by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Lucin A small railroad community that was located on the west side of the Great Salt Lake. The name comes from a local fossil bivalve, lucina subanta.

Moab A town in Grand county near Arches National Park. It was settled in 1855 by Mormon colonists, vacated due to troubles with the American Indians, and resettled in 1876.

Mormon Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are often referred to as Mormons, due to their belief in the Book of Mormon. Accordingly, Mormon was a prophet who compiled the Book of Mormon, a book of scripture used by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Navajo American Indian tribe living primarily in the Four Corners Region. They traditionally refer to themselves as the Dine, which means the People.

Nephi A city 38 miles (61 kilometers) south of Provo named after a prophet from the Book of Mormon, a book of scripture used by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The area was settled in 1851 and had earlier names of Salt Creek and Little Chicago.

Northwestern Shoshone American Indian tribe who live in northern Utah and southern Idaho. Variant spelling: Shoshoni.

Ogden An industrial city 35 miles (56 kilometers) north of Salt Lake City near the confluence of the Weber and Ogden Rivers. Miles Goodyear, a mountain man and trapper, built a trading post and small fort there in 1844 called Fort Buenaventura. The city is also known as Junction City, due to the fact that it was the junction for the transfer of freight and passengers between the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific Railroads after the completion of the transcontinental line.

Oquirrh Mountains Mountain Range in Utah with a north-south orientation at the south end of the Great Salt Lake. The name comes from the Goshute Indians and has many meanings including "Wooded Mountain," "Cave Mountain," "West Mountain," and "Shining Mountain."

Orem City in Utah County named for Walter C. Orem, president of the Salt Lake and Utah Electric Interurban Railroad.

Paiute American Indian tribe who live in southern Utah, southeastern California, northern Arizona, and southern Nevada

Panguitch City near the Sevier River that was settled in 1866, vacated due to problems with the American Indians, and resettled in 1871. The name comes from the Paiute Indian word meaning "water" and "fish".

Parleys Canyon A canyon that extends from southeast Salt Lake City to Parleys Park at the summit. It was initially named Big Canyon in 1847. In 1849 Parley P. Pratt, an early pioneer, built a toll road up the canyon that was called The Golden Pass. The name was eventually changed to Parleys Canyon. Interstate 80 passes through this canyon.

Promontory Summit The location of an early railroad construction camp where the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific Railroads joined in 1869. The name is from the promontory that projects into the Great Salt Lake. Today the Golden Spike National Historic Monument at the site commemorates the completion of the first transcontinental railroad.

Provo A city in Utah County founded in 1850. The area was first known as Fort Utah and then the name was changed to Fort Provo, being named after the French-Canadian trapper, Etienne Provot.

Soldier Hollow A recreational area in the Heber Valley. The name probably comes from Captain James H. Simpson and his company of road surveyors and other soldiers who camped in the area in 1849.

Stake A group of congregations in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, similar to a diocese.

Timpanogos, Mount A high mountain peak in the Wasatch Mountain Range, standing at 11,750 feet (3,581 meters).

Tooele A city in Tooele County that was settled in 1851 and is located approximately 25 miles (40 kilometers) south west of Salt Lake City.

Trappers Loop A highway that connects the Ogden Valley and Mt. Green in northern Utah. The road follows the trail the trappers used and is named for the many fur trappers that spent time in the area in the early 1800s.

Uinta Mountains A mountain range in Utah that is unusual due to its east-west orientation. It also is home to Utah's highest mountain peak, Kings Peak, at 13,528 feet (4,123 meters). The name comes from the Ute Indians who live in the area.

Uintah A town and a county in northeastern Utah. The county was one of the original eight counties organized in 1850 and the town was settled in 1850 at the mouth of Weber Canyon. Early maps usually attached an "H" to the end of the word, however, it was left off of Major Powell's publication as being unnecessary for the pronunciation.

Utah Western State settled by Mormon pioneers in July 1847. The word "Utah" was taken from the native Ute Indians. The state of Utah was admitted as part of the United States on January 4, 1896.

Ute American Indian tribe the state of Utah takes its name from. The Northern Utes were mainly hunters and gatherers and lived in the eastern Great Basin and the western Rocky Mountains. The Southern Utes settled in the Four Corners region.

Vernal Town in Uintah County that was settled in 1876. Trappers and mountain men had previously explored the area. The name refers to a beautiful spring or pertaining to youth.

Ward A geographical division of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, like a congregation.

Wasatch County in Utah that was established in 1862 and mountain Range extending from Idaho to central Utah. The word Wasatch comes from an Ute Indian word meaning "mountain pass" or "low place in a high mountain."

Weber A canyon, county, and river share this name. Some people claim the name comes from a Dutch sea captain, John H. Weber, a trapper with General Ashley who was killed near the river shortly after his arrival to the area in 1823. Others believe the area was named for Pauline Weaver, an Arizona frontiersman, who was in the area.

Zion National Park President Taft set part of Zion Canyon aside and named it the Mukuntuweap National Monument in 1909. President Wilson later enlarged the area and changed the name to Zion. It was established as a national park in 1919.

BRIEF HISTORY OF UTAH

2007-11-23T20:19:00.000-08:00

By: Ron Rood and Linda Thatcher

Utah's thousands of years of prehistory and its centuries of known recorded history are so distinctive and complex that a summary can only hint at the state's rich heritage. The synopsis offered here follows major themes in Utah history and includes some of the significant dates, events, and individuals.

THIS IS UTAH
By: Stan Layton
Utah's majestic mountains, lakes, and deserts were first beheld by man some 12,000 years ago. Through the millennia that followed, these Paleoindian big-game hunters were succeeded by a number of other early culture groups including the Desert Archaic, Anasazi, and Fremont. About a thousand years ago, such Numic-speaking hunter-gatherers as the Shoshones, Utes, Southern Paiutes, and Goshutes began moving into Utah, and they were joined by an Athapaskan group, the Navajos.

White men came along much later. Their first significant incursion came in 1776 as a party of Spanish explorers traveled much of the length of present-day Utah. Led by Franciscan friars Dominguez and Escalante, these intrepid men were scouting a northern route from Santa Fe to Monterey and seeking to promote Christianity among the Indians. On numerous occasions Escalante noted in his diary the natural beauty of Utah's pristine landscape.

Nearly fifty years would elapse before the next group of whites came to Utah. These were the mountain men searching for beaver. Such colorful characters as Jim Bridger, Etienne Provost, Miles Goodyear, and Jedediah Smith explored, trapped, mingled with the Indians, and gave dozens of place names to the area's distinctive geographical features.

Then came the Mormons in 1847, questing for a religious sanctuary in the remote West. Immigrating in large numbers, they laid out communities, built homes and churches, established farms supported by an irrigation system, skirmished with the native people, achieved territorial status in 1850, and generally prospered. Non-Mormons came too, especially after precious metals were discovered in the 1860s, and they added diversification to Utah's society. By the time of statehood in 1896, the total population approached a quarter of a million people.

Development of coal mines, railroads, and other industries beckoned the "new immigrants" during the early decades of the twentieth century, and Greeks, Italians, Slavs, Chinese, Japanese, Mexicans, and other ethnic groups further enriched Utah's cultural fabric.

Though troubled by the Great Depression of the 1930s, Utah's economy found new life during and after World War II. Defense, mining, steel, and petroleum-refining industries led the economic surge at mid-century. Tourism, recreation (especially skiing), light manufacturing, and the service industries have recently emerged as economic pillars.

During Utah's centennial year of 1996, its population topped 2 million people. Due to the state's larger-than-average family size and its strong rate of immigration, robust growth is projected well into the future.

Quick Facts about Utah's history and land

2007-11-23T20:16:00.000-08:00

State Capitol - Salt Lake City
Statehood Day - January 4, 1896 (45th state)
The name "Utah" comes from the Native American "Ute" tribe and means people of the mountains.

Highest and Lowest Points: Kings Peak reaches an unbelievable 13,528 ft in the Uinta Mountains while the Beaver Dam Wash holds strong at a modest 2, 350 ft. Kings Peak is located in Duchesne County in the Northeast part of the state, and Beaver Dam Wash is near St. George in Washington County in the state's southwest quadrant.

Utah is 84,900 square miles and ranked the 11th largest state (in terms of square miles) in the U.S.

Utah's peaks, on average, are the tallest in the country. That is, if you average the elevations of the tallest peaks in each of Utah's counties and compare that number with the average elevations of the tallest peaks in each county of every other state, you will find that Utah's peaks will be an average of 11, 222 feet taller. Now that's tall!

Other Usful Links
Governor - Jon Huntsman, Jr.
Lieutenant Governor - Gary Herbert
Congressmen - Christopher Cannon R.
Congressmen - Jim Matheson D.
Congressmen - Rob Bishop R.
Senator - Robert Bennett R.
Senator - Orrin Hatch R.

Business Depot Ogden

2007-11-12T21:06:00.000-08:00

Originally established in 1941, the Defense Depot Ogden once operated as a distribution depot which stored, maintained, and shipped a variety of materials for the U.S. Department of Defense and other agencies.

The 1,128-acre site now encompasses more than six million square feet of existing leasable warehouse space and is located just three miles northwest of downtown Ogden. Hundreds of acres are available for new, leaseable development.

The City has entered into an agreement with the Boyer Company to develop and manage the BDO properties.