City seeks public input on SunTran route connecting Ivins to Hidden Valley

SunTran bus stop on 100 South, St. George, Utah, circa 2013 | Photo courtesy KCSG.com, St. George News

ST. GEORGE – A public hearing will be held at the St. George City Offices Thursday to seek input on a proposed 80-minute Ivins to Hidden Valley SunTran route slated to begin operation early next year. An open house discussing the new route will also be held at Ivins City on Nov. 19

St. George to Ivins

In 2013, St. George and Ivins officials entered into talks about expanding SunTran bus service into Ivins. An agreement was eventually solidified and an order for a bus to service the new St. George to Ivins route was made.

The proposed route will start at Sunset Corners at the intersection of Bluff Street and Sunset Boulevard, and head into Ivins by way of Sunset Boulevard. The route then turns on 200 East, then Center Street which connects to Snow Canyon Parkway heading back to Sunset Corners. Stops along the route would potentially include the Ivins City Office, the Southern Utah Veterans Home, and Tuacahn.

Sunset Corners to Hidden Valley

While the initial route was being set up, another route connecting the Ivins route to another one expanding to the Bloomington Wal-Mart and the Hidden Valley area was also being determined.

“It’s being coordinated with the Ivins route,” said Chris Key, a SunTran supervisor.

Key said the route would pick up riders from the Sunset Corners stop and head toward Bloomington via Valley View Drive, then turn onto Dixie Drive. From there the bus would carry passengers to the Bloomington Wal-Mart, and then go across Interstate 15 up Brigham Road to the area of Hidden Valley and Desert Hills High School. From there the bus would turn around and return to Sunset Corners by way of Bluff Street.

“We wanted to go further, but ran out of time,” Key said.

Each individual route is 40 minutes long. Combined, the Ivins and Bloomington Wal-Mart routes make an 80-minute loop.

Key said they wanted to expand into the Fort Pierce industrial park, but doing so would over-extend the allotted route time.

“We’re at least getting into Hidden Valley,” he said.

Though expanding to the industrial park and beyond may not be immediately possible, Key said, “We plan to expand as need and demand rises.”

Public input and open house

A public hearing for the proposed bus route will he held as a part of a regular meeting of the St. George City Council on Thursday, at 5 p.m., at the St. George City Offices, located at 175 E. 200 North. Pubic hearings generally start around 5:30 p.m.

The Ivins City open house will be from 10 a.m to 6 p.m., Nov. 19. The Ivins City offices are located at 474 N 200 West in Ivins.

“We want to hear from people where the demands are,” Key said. Public input will help city staff determine where the best locations for stops are and where possible route modifications may need to be made.

Three new buses have been ordered for the new routes that are expected to be delivered to the city in late December, with the routes opening to service around Jan. 15, 2015.

Other business to be discussed before St. George City Council:

A public hearing will be held in regards to a proposed ordinance change that will allow high-density student housing around the Dixie State University campus between 700 East and I-15, and from 700 South to the mid-block between St. George Boulevard and Tabernacle Street. Proposed development would create 40 student housing units per acre, with a limit of six students per unit.

As the Nov. 5 meeting will be the first of the month, the public will also be offered a chance to address the City Council in a short public comment period at the beginning of the meeting. Two items are expected to be put before the council during this time:

  • Advocates will address the council about creating a nondiscrimination ordinance extending housing and employment protections to members of the LGBT community.
  • A crowd is expected to gather at the council meeting in protest over the Monster Mash incident that occurred on Oct. 25. A dance party to be held at the Fiesta Fun Center that day was shut down by police over a disputed special events permit.

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20 Comments

  • tinmanfree November 5, 2014 at 6:09 pm

    That’s it. Fill up the public comment portion of the agenda to divert from the misdeeds of City Council and the Police Dept. at Fiesta Fun. Typical smoke and mirrors.

  • Roy J November 5, 2014 at 6:33 pm

    Photo is circa 2103? Whoa! Time travel!

    • Avatar photo Cami Cox Jim November 5, 2014 at 8:15 pm

      Duly noted Roy — we’ll correct that. 🙂

  • Melda November 5, 2014 at 7:09 pm

    I would like to see bus routes connecting Washington to St George.

  • My Evil Twin November 5, 2014 at 7:45 pm

    I want to see an Ivins/Santa Clara to Hurricane route! And timed so that going to work in Hurricane, and going home to Santa Clara would be do-able!

    • Slim November 6, 2014 at 5:55 am

      Just move to Hurricane

      • My Evil Twin November 6, 2014 at 3:37 pm

        I’d quit my job first. . .

      • My Evil Twin November 6, 2014 at 3:38 pm

        At the risk of repeating myself, I would quit my job first!

  • Zonkerb November 5, 2014 at 11:02 pm

    Will the routes be going through any dance free zones or is it illegal to dance in just St George.

  • PROTECT THE SHEEP November 6, 2014 at 1:47 am

    I can’t wait for a one-way SunTran route out to the county dump…

  • Dana November 6, 2014 at 5:49 am

    Buses should be running on Sunday’s and Holiday’s.

    • Frank November 6, 2014 at 8:47 am

      Buses should run to the casinos in mesquite on and off all night too

  • Burton November 6, 2014 at 9:11 am

    Why exactly don’t we have UTA buses here? Every body up north can get where they need to go at a reasonable price which in turn helps build a prosperous economy and encourages healthy growth. Washington county needs to graduate from the dark ages.

    • Notagain November 6, 2014 at 10:34 am

      Note: You get what your willing to pay for. You ready to vote for it and pay a fair user fee? Contact your County Commissioner.

      • sleepy hallow November 6, 2014 at 11:25 am

        “fair user fee”+ TAX……again!

      • Burton November 6, 2014 at 7:52 pm

        “Reasonable price” which part didn’t you understand? Did I say a freebie bus ride!?

  • Koolaid, November 6, 2014 at 8:27 pm

    It’s all a waste of money along with recycling, rehab centers, nursing old folks homes, and animal shelter. If we would quit spending money on that stupid stuff then my family could get more from SServices. Give it up tax payers. WHATZ UP.

  • sagemoon November 7, 2014 at 9:54 am

    I’m glad to hear public transport is expanding.

  • For Peace and Order November 7, 2014 at 10:47 am

    St. George is currently funding Suntran. Ivins worked out a deal with St. George to pay for this route.
    Until the County or other Municipalities want to pay the piper Suntran will not expand into other cities.
    Contact your City Councils and County Commissioners if you want Suntran in you communities.

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