$300M set aside for road construction of possible Delta Center pedestrian plaza

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

The Utah Legislature allocated $300 million for a Delta Center pedestrian plaza project.
Funds aim to lower 300 West, creating a walkable entertainment district downtown.
Construction awaits feasibility studies; the project is expected to take at least two years.

SALT LAKE CITY – The wheels are turning on a walkable entertainment district leading up to the Delta Center in downtown Salt Lake City.

KSL-TV confirmed Wednesday morning that the Utah Legislature set aside $300 million in the 2025 legislative session for a pedestrian plaza.

No formal plans have been made as of yet, but the money now set aside is earmarked to lower the road on 300 West so you can walk across the street over to the Delta Center, and the cars and other traffic would all go underneath you.

As for what the pedestrian plaza will look like, only a few images of the imagined revitalized downtown Salt Lake City have been released.

A social media post from Ryan Smith, the Utah Jazz and Utah Mammoth owner, in February 2024 depicted the ability to walk right up to a future entrance of the Delta Center on the east side of the building.

Ryan Smith posted this image to X on February 2024, showing a new NBA and NHL arena anchoring what he called a revitalized downtown Salt Lake City. (Photo: Ryan Smith via X)

The money, now appropriated for construction on the road part of the plaza, comes from S.B. 195, which Utah Gov. Spencer Cox signed back in March. The bill opens up $300 million of existing transportation tax dollars to do it, available starting July 1, 2025.

Wednesday morning, KSL TV spoke with the bill's sponsor, Sen. Wayne Harper, over Zoom from Denver. Harper said the plan balances Salt Lake's downtown transportation needs with the goals of creating a walkable entertainment district.

"This will go through and keep 300 W. open. It will go through and enable the pedestrian plaza, and go through a move a little bit further west, without impacting traffic," Harper said.

Harper said it will look similar to what they've already done to lower the road on 200 W. to accommodate the Salt Palace.

The $300 million price tag is a cost estimate from the Utah Department of Transportation, in addition to the $900 million in bonds previously approved to help cover the cost of Delta Center renovations.

When KSL TV talked to the Salt Lake City Mayor's office Wednesday about the plans, they said they've had preliminary discussions about possible timelines and cost, but nothing formal yet.

KSL TV also spoke with UDOT, which said its still designing the plans and has to do feasibility studies and hold public comment periods first. So no word yet on when construction will begin, but they expect it'll take at least two years.

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