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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's capital city is receiving $15.6 million in state funds that will go toward transit and active transportation across the city.
The city received the funds from the Utah Transportation Commission during its meeting on June 24. Most of the money will go toward what are considered first- and last-mile projects, which are improvements to accessing transit in the city, according to Jon Larsen, the city's transportation director.
These include projects that make it easier to walk and bike to and from bus stops and rail stations.
The money allotted to the city is expected to come over the next two to five years, supplementing funds that city leaders have set aside for various projects. City officials on Thursday outlined some of the ideas that they have in mind for this money in the coming years, including:
- Filling in a missing section of the Parley's Trail at Highland Drive and Sugarmont Drive in Sugar House by constructing a two-way bike trail "through the heart" of the neighborhood.
- Enhancing active transportation along North Temple near North Temple Station with a paved, multi-use trail and improved pedestrian crossings. This would also include street trees and shading elements. The city recently completed the first segment of the Folsom Trail that begins at the FrontRunner station.
- Building a protected, multi-use trail at the 400 South viaduct, which would improve east-west connectivity and connect it to the Salt Lake Central Station.
- Constructing a neighborhood byway in the Westpointe and Jordan Meadows neighborhoods that will run parallel to Redwood Road and connect with the Utah Transit Authority's Power Station TRAX stop in the area.
- Installing new bike lanes on Main Street from North Temple to the state Capitol.
- Making pedestrian and bike crossing improvements to the 2100 South and State Street intersection, which is located by heavily used bus stops.
- Making pedestrian and bike improvements on West Temple in downtown Salt Lake City, and enhancing connectivity to transit in the area.
- Investing in a transit hub and new signals along 200 South to optimize transit capacity along the road. The city, which considers the street as an important section for public transit, is currently in the middle of a two-year project to reconfigure the road as Dominion Energy also replaces an aging gas line underneath the roadway.
Larsen says record population and continued growth are fueling the need for transportation alternatives in the city. A little less than 200,000 people were listed as living in Salt Lake City during the 2020 Census, which is the most people the city has ever had. The population is expected to grow as more housing developments are completed in the near future, especially in the downtown area.
"As our region continues its breathtaking pace of population and economic growth, cars alone cannot meet our transportation needs," Larsen said. "In addition, investments in walk, bike and transit infrastructure help to clear our air and ensure that everyone has an opportunity to participate in our economy."
