In this Issue:

Map of the Month

• Comment Period Open for WFRC’s Draft 2025-2030 TIP

Government Affairs

• Highlights from NARC’s Annual Conference

From our Partners

• UDOT Green Lights V2X Safety Technology

Planning for the Future

• Tooele City Adopts its Active Transportation Plan

WFRC Council News

• The WFRC Team is Ready to Assist You!

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Comment Period Open for WFRC's Draft 2025-2030 Transportation Improvement Program

Working closely with UDOT, UTA, and local government partners, WFRC has prioritized hundreds of near-term transportation projects that aim to enhance mobility, strengthen the economy, connect communities, increase access to opportunities, and improve quality of life along the Wasatch Front.

These projects, totaling more than $9 billion in federal, state, and local funding, are listed in the current draft of the 2025-2030 Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), open for public comment through August 3, 2024.

You are invited to explore project locations and details in the Draft 2025-2030 TIP Public Comment Map and review the corresponding air quality conformity determination (Memorandum 42a). The map displays projects based on funding source, project status, and anticipated start year. It also allows project-specific comments to be submitted, as well as general comments not linked to a specific project.

WFRC, UTA, and UDOT staff inform members of the public and collect their input on the Draft 2025 TIP at Salt Lake Central Station

While the first TIP open house was held on Tuesday, July 9, in the Salt Lake Area, members of the public are encouraged to attend the upcoming open house on Tuesday, July 16th, 4-7 pm, in the Ogden Intermodal Center (2350 Wall Avenue in Ogden). Comments can be submitted any time before August 3 via the map (link below). Submitted comments will help inform the final approval process for the TIP later this summer. 

Highlights from NARC's Annual Conference

Last month, staff and leadership from WFRC and the Mountainland Association of Governments (MAG) attended the NARC Annual Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, to hear best practices from fellow regional councils across the country in areas of transportation, housing, land use, economic development, and more. 

Davis County Commissioner and WFRC Vice Chairman Bob Stevenson and WFRC Executive Director Andrew Gruber lead a discussion of the NARC Transportation Committee

Notably, Davis County Commissioner and WFRC Vice Chairman Bob Stevenson and WFRC Executive Director Andrew Gruber led a discussion of the NARC Transportation Committee to discuss some of the highlights and challenges in implementing the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which is the authorizing legislation for federal transportation funding. 

Laniece Davenport, MAG MPO Director, and Megan Townsend, WFRC Community Development Director, accept the 2024 Achievement Award for Station Area Planning Technical Assistance

Additionally, Megan Townsend, WFRC Community and Economic Development Director, participated on a panel that shared Utah’s perspective on housing challenges and opportunities by highlighting some of the work being done with station area planning and housing and transit reinvestment zones. Lastly, both WFRC and MAG received a joint award recognizing the meaningful technical assistance that our agencies are providing to our communities through our Station Area Planning Program!

For updates on developments at the state legislature, including policy discussions happening in the legislature’s interim meetings, please reference our most recent government affairs update. 

UDOT Green Lights V2X Safety Technology

Shailen Bhatt, Federal Highway Administrator, speaks at a press conference near Foothill Drive in Salt Lake City on June 20, 2024. (Photo Credit: Megan Nielsen, Deseret News)

UDOT was awarded $20 million of federal funding to program intersections along the Wasatch Front to communicate with emergency vehicles and buses to improve safety on Utah’s roads.

UDOT will put new technology in select vehicles that will turn their traffic light green when they approach, opening the way for emergency vehicles. This technology is called V2X or “vehicle to everything."

The $20 million in grant funds come from the Saving Lives with Connectivity: Accelerating Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) Deployment program.

UDOT, which manages the traffic signals at 80% of the state's intersections, has already integrated V2X into state snow plows and some Utah Transit Authority (UTA) vehicles. This allows them to prioritize road clearance and help keep buses on schedule by communicating with traffic signals. A portion of the funds will also help expand these capabilities into Colorado and Wyoming, creating a cohesive regional network and improving traffic flow and safety as part of an initiative to "Connect the West."

Looking forward, officials envision broader applications for V2X technology. Eventually, private vehicles will also be equipped with V2X for more efficient traffic operations and unprecedented improvements in roadway safety. By alerting drivers to hazards such as crashes, wrong-way drivers, pedestrians or bicyclists, or vehicles stopped around blind corners, V2X could significantly reduce road fatalities. 

The V2X technology can help to implement the Comprehensive Safety Action Plan, recently adopted by WFRC. Additional intersections will be equipped with V2X in the future.

Tooele City Adopts its Active Transportation Plan 

With support from the Transportation and Land Use Connection Program at WFRC, the Tooele City Council and Mayor have officially adopted the Tooele City Active Transportation Plan. This plan aims to enhance safety and accessibility for walking, biking, and rolling across the community.

Tooele City is growing, and with development and land use patterns evolving, there's been a significant reliance on motor vehicles. This growth has, at times, led to disconnected street networks and high-speed roads cutting through neighborhoods and commercial areas. Recognizing the need for change, the city has prioritized planning for active transportation.

The Steering Committee spent significant time reviewing previous transportation plans, and identifying existing active transportation facilities to bridge the gaps in the walking and biking infrastructure. Community input revealed that residents hesitate to use bikeways, trails, or sidewalks due to poor connectivity and safety concerns.

The Plan outlines five key goals to guide the development of the city's active transportation network:

1. Leverage and expand existing assets
2. Integrate active transportation into the city culture
3. Leverage private development
4. Create key connections
5. Engage the community

These goals aim to create a safe, accessible, and well-connected transportation network that fosters a vibrant and active community.

Providing transportation choices is one of the key strategies to implementing the Wasatch Choice Vision. 

The WFRC Team is ready to assist you! 

Pictured from left to right - Top row: Jordon Chandler, Megan Townsend, Marcia White, Kevrine Wells, Madison Aviles, Marian Florence, Chad Worthen, Julie Bjornstad, Suzie Swim, and Andy Li. Middle Row: Christy Dahlberg, Miranda Jones Cox, Jory Johner, Andrea Pearson, Lauren Victor, Andrew Gruber, Chris Day, Josh Atkins, Bert Granberg, and Matt Ryan. Bottom Row: Wayne Bennion, Kip Billings, Sarah Lawless, Ted Knowlton, Byron Head, Ben Wuthrich, Hugh Van Wagenen, Rosie Hernandez, Tim Watkins, Bill Hereth, and Chay Mosqueda.

Over the past few years, WFRC has welcomed several new staff members. Notably, our Community and Economic Development team has grown and we have added a new Local Administrative Advisor to support local communities.

We continue to value our partners across the region and state and encourage you to reach out to any of us whenever we can be of assistance. Our contact information can be found on our staff directory page.  

We wish you a wonderful and safe summer!