IN THE JUNE ISSUE

The Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC) invites you to provide input on the Draft 2023-2028 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) via an online interactive map and corresponding air quality conformity determination (Memorandum 40b). The TIP is a six-year program of roadway, transit, and active transportation projects funded by federal, state, and local revenues in Salt Lake, Davis, Morgan, Tooele, and Weber counties, as well as the urbanized portion of Box Elder County. The TIP is developed in close collaboration with local governments, UDOT, UTA, and other community stakeholders. Major projects that improve transportation capacity in the TIP are selected from Utah’s Unified Transportation Plan.

This year’s TIP includes projects to expand bike sharing in Salt Lake City and Ogden City, operate the Midvalley Connector bus rapid transit system, reconstruct 900 West in Salt Lake City, construct a bike and pedestrian path along the Welby Jacob Canal in Riverton City, widen 2000 West between 300 North in West Point and 1800 North in Clinton, corridor preservation for FrontRunner expansion from 12th Street to the Weber County Border, and hundreds more priority projects. 

Comments on the draft TIP can be offered online, or at two in-person public open houses, which will be held on the following dates and locations:

• Wednesday, July 6, 2022, 4:00 - 7:00 pm: Salt Lake Intermodal Center, 300 South 600 West Salt Lake City, Utah 
• Wednesday, July 13, 2022, 4:00 - 7:00 pm: Ogden Intermodal Center, 2350 Wall Ave Ogden, Utah

As part of the WFRC public review and comment process for the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) projects, an interactive map is available to explore the project locations and details. The map also provides an easy tool for submitting comments generally, or for any specific project. Comments received will help inform the preparation of the TIP. 

This map viewer allows you to filter projects based on the funding source, project status, and the anticipated start year of the project. New for this year’s map, when a project is selected, in addition to project details and the ability to comment, a Google street view map appears allowing the viewer to explore the project site. Click here to view the TIP map and submit your comment. The deadline for TIP comments is July 30, 2022.

June Legislative Interim Meetings

The Utah Legislature continued to meet during the month of June for interim committee meetings. They will continue to meet monthly now until November to receive reports, study issues, and craft legislation for the 2023 General Session.

Of note at the Transportation Interim Committee’s meeting on Tuesday, June 14th, the Committee received a report from the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) regarding Free Fare February. Jay Fox, UTA Executive Director, discussed the positive impacts on ridership during the month of February when fare collection was suspended. Fox also highlighted how UTA collaborated with WFRC, MAG, Salt Lake City, and major employers and institutions to cover the gap in lost farebox revenue. This is not the end of the free fare discussion, as WFRC, in partnership with the Mountainland Association of Governments (MAG), UDOT, and UTA, is conducting a comprehensive Zero Fare Study to examine the feasibility of such a fare structure in the future. The study includes examining the community impacts, operations, capital requirements, and safety and security, and is expected to be published this fall. 

Additionally, the Committee received a report on large infrastructure projects being overseen by the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) and UTA. As you may recall, HB322 (Public Transit Capital Development Modifications) gives UDOT responsibility over capital projects at UTA, including project planning for FrontRunner and Point of the Mountain. While UDOT has responsibility over delivery of public transportation projects, UTA will continue to coordinate closely with UDOT and operate the UTA system. Supporting ridership is a joint goal of both organizations in efforts to support economic growth, improve air quality, and offer travel choices.

Summertime is here and and federal funding opportunities through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) are available. Today, the Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program was released. Please note that the application deadline for the Transit-Oriented Development Pilot Program is approaching and due July 25, 2022.

Current Federal Grant Opportunities

• Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program (RCP): The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) established the new Reconnecting Communities Pilot discretionary grant program, funded with $1 billion over the next 5 years. It is the first-ever program to help reconnect communities that were previously cut off from economic opportunities by transportation infrastructure. Funding supports planning grants and capital construction grants, as well as technical assistance, to restore community connectivity through the removal, retrofit, mitigation, or replacement of eligible transportation infrastructure facilities. The FY22 Notice of Funding Opportunity is open now through October 13, 2022. DOT will host a webinar to provide a general overview of the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program on Thursday, July 14.To learn more and register, visit the RCP webinars page.

• Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A): This program is expected to include $1 billion in funding per year exclusively for local governments to make improvements to reduce fatalities, especially for cyclists and pedestrians, commonly referred to as ‘‘Vision Zero’’ or ‘‘Toward Zero Deaths’’ initiatives. Eligibility includes the creation of a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, as well as planning, design, and construction of projects identified in a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan. The SS4A NOFO has been released and applications will be due no later than September 15th, 2022. USDOT will host a series of webinars on how to apply for this opportunity in the month of June. WFRC, along with partners, are intending to jointly apply for a SS4A Grant to create a regional Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, which will ultimately include local projects which can apply for capital grants in the four subsequent years.

• Transit-Oriented Development Pilot Program: This program provides planning funding to local communities to integrate land use and transportation planning with a new fixed guideway or core capacity transit capital investment. Intended outcomes are to improve economic development and ridership, foster multimodal connectivity, improve transit access for pedestrian and bicycle traffic, and others. View the notice of funding opportunity and webinar dates/information.

• Bridge Investment Program: The purpose of the bridge investment discretionary grant program is to improve the condition, safety, efficiency, and reliability. This $12.5 billion program will provide grants to states, MPOs, local governments, and tribal governments to replace, rehabilitate, preserve, or protect one or more bridges on the National Bridge Inventory. This program works in conjunction with formula funds the Utah Department of Transportation has received to serve these same purposes. The notice for funding opportunity is available here.

Upcoming Federal Grant Opportunities 

• Railroad Crossing Elimination Program (NOFO to be released in June)

Resources

If you would like to stay up to date with the latest information on federal grants and want to receive our “Federal Funding Opportunities Notice” emails, or if you have any questions regarding federal funding, please reach out to federalgrants@wfrc.org or visit our Federal Funding Opportunities Webpage.

UCAIR is a statewide clean air partnership created to make it easier for individuals, businesses, and communities to make changes to improve Utah's air. The UCAIR Grant Selection Committee is requesting applications for any of the following four areas:

• Reduction of emissions from area sources that contribute to both wintertime inversion and summertime ozone seasons.
• Projects and programs specifically targeting summertime precursor emissions contributing to ozone.
• Programs utilizing emerging technologies that result in measurable emissions reductions.
• Reduction of emissions in underserved areas.

Guidelines and criteria for funding opportunities can be found here. Letters of intent are due by July 29, 2022.

North Davis County Active Transportation Plan Wins APA Merit Award

Congratulations to Clearfield, Syracuse, Clinton, Sunset, and West Point for being recognized with an APA Merit Award for their efforts on the North Davis Active Transportation Implementation Plan! These five communities partnered together to create this plan and were awarded funds from the Transportation and Land Use Connection (TLC) Program to develop a cohesive active transportation plan across their communities. The plan aims to increase the quality and access to active transportation facilities, improve safety and comfort for all levels of users, and enhance the connections of the network specifically to transit services and employment centers. 

Click here to read their award-winning implementation plan.

Talking to Utahns About Growth

Values Messaging Guide

Our partners at Envision Utah recently published new tips and principles to help talk to Utahns about population growth — and the related issues of housing, transportation, and quality of life — in ways that are most likely to resonate with Utahns and lead to more productive conversations about how we grow. This new guide is based on findings in Envision Utah’s 2021 Values Study as well as other research and surveys

Now Accepting Applications for Growing Water Smart Workshop

The Growing Water Smart (GWS) workshop brings key community staff and decision-makers on water and land use planning together to collaborate to help build a more resilient and sustainable water future. The workshop uses a range of public engagement, planning, communication, and policy implementation tools to help community teams realize their water efficiency, smart growth, watershed health, and water resiliency goals.

Applications are being accepted from communities across the State of Utah that are interested in participating in the GWS workshop. Applications are due July 29th.

Workshop details are included below:

• Location: Greater Salt Lake Area, UT
• Tentative Date: November 15th, 16th, and 17th
• Eligibility: Municipalities, towns, and counties located in Utah
• Community teams (7-10 people): Senior staff from land use planning, water management, economic development, and sustainability offices, local elected officials, community organizers, etc.
• Costs: No cost to selected teams. Participants cover their own travel. Some meals and lodging provided.
• Learn more and apply: growingwatersmartutah.org 
• Questions: waterandland@utah.gov

Goodbye, Ned!

Retirement Party Thurs. July 7