Utah sends $95M towards 18 path tasks because it begins bold statewide community plan

SOUTH SALT LAKE — Stephanie Tomlin factors towards 3900 South as she stands alongside the Jordan Parkway Path on a sunny and heat Thursday morning.

This part of the street is the place a 1.4-mile “east-west path” alongside the street is deliberate. The concept is that the path will hyperlink West Temple towards the east with the favored Jordan River path, so customers can keep away from the busy I-15 freeway interchanges in between.

“That is undoubtedly a keystone challenge. We need to construct extra tasks like this,” says Tomlin, director of the Utah Division of Transportation’s trails division. “I’d say it actually provides individuals an precise transportation choice.”

UDOT introduced Thursday that the state is directing $10 million of recent state funds towards the challenge’s completion. Building may start as early as subsequent yr.

The grander imaginative and prescient is to have the path run “from east to west,” connecting a number of communities by 3900 South/4100 South and public transit stations within the central a part of the Salt Lake Valley, she provides.

Its connection alongside the Jordan River Parkway would then enable customers to journey as much as Davis County or right down to Utah County with out leaving the pathway.

<!–[if IE 9]><![endif]–>

It is also certainly one of 13 “construction-ready” path tasks that acquired funding by the $95 million that the Utah Legislature permitted for a future path community connecting the state. Utah Transportation Fee officers additionally directed:

• $14 million for the Bingham Creek Path, a 6.3-mile path that connects the Jordan River Parkway Path to Bingham Creek Regional Park in Dawn and the Mountain View Hall Path in Salt Lake County.
• $12.5 million to fill in a 0.7-mile hole on Colorado River Path alongside state Route 128 in Moab.
• $8.8 million for a 3-mile path extension to attach Moab Canyon Pathway with the deliberate Utahraptor State Park guests middle.
• $8.7 million for a brand new separated crossing for safer crossing of a path at 2050 North and state Route 108 in Davis County, finishing a spot within the path. The challenge can even full connections to the 1800 North Path and Denver & Rio Grande Path within the space.
• $8 million for a 1.8-mile paved path from the Heber Metropolis practice depot to 1200 South, and from state Route 113 to the Deer Creek Path at Soldier Hole utilizing the prevailing Heber Valley Railroad alignment.
• $7 million for a 1.5-mile shared-use path alongside the Welby Jacobs Canal Path from 12600 South to 13800 South in Riverton. It could embody a separated crossing over 13400 South.
• $7 million for a 5-mile separated path from downtown Orderville to Mt. Carmel Junction in Kane County. The challenge will probably be a “crucial” phase in a community connecting Zion and Bryce Canyon nationwide parks.
• $5 million for a 2.1-mile path from I-15 to the Utah Lakeshore Path in Winery.
• $4.5 million for a brand new 1.9-mile path from 500 North to U.S. 40 in Vernal, following sections of the Steinaker Service Canal and 500 North.
• $4 million for a 1.8-mile path connecting Ridgeline Excessive College to the Blackhawk Soccer Advanced in Cache Valley, following the Blacksmith Fork River. It could additionally connect with the Logan River Stroll path.
• $3 million for a 0.8-mile path between the Bear Lake Marina and Broad Hole Highway in Wealthy County.
• $600,000 for a 0.5-mile path alongside 1300 West in Bluffdale from a future separated railroad crossing to the close by Jordan River Parkway Path.

All 13 tasks had been chosen after an intensive assessment of over 160 tasks delivered to UDOT’s consideration final yr, in response to Tomlin.

She defined that UDOT intentionally centered on tasks that would fill gaps in current trails on this preliminary spherical of funding. Many had been already nicely deliberate out and dealt with tough obstacles like railroad tracks, roadways or our bodies of water.

Just like the 3900 South challenge, development may start as early as 2025 for the 12 different tasks.

“UDOT is worked up to come back in and supply further funding to tug them by the end line and ensure (native communities) have sufficient funding to make it occur and for them to be constructed,” Tomlin stated, explaining that almost all tasks connect with public transit or essential group facilities.

One other $2.1 million was directed towards planning for 5 tasks throughout the state that might add one other 27 miles of trails, UDOT additionally introduced on Thursday. These are tasks which are desired however stay far earlier within the design course of.

The preliminary funding is step one in a prolonged course of that may ultimately hyperlink state areas collectively. Gov. Spencer Cox and UDOT Director Carlos Braceras introduced the bold path community challenge in 2022, saying they’d like to attach all the regional path networks that cities and counties have constructed over time.

The Utah Legislature allotted $45 million in one-time funds final yr and arrange the framework for this system to obtain as much as $45 million in ongoing funds yearly. Designing for bigger tasks is anticipated to choose up this yr, in response to UDOT.

The concept is that it may create one other different journey route for the rising state, whereas additionally including new recreation alternatives.

“These efforts are bringing individuals collectively,” Braceras stated in a press release. “We need to do our half by connecting communities by a state-funded program that may construct trails as a part of the state’s transportation system.”