• Transportation and Land Use Connection (TLC) 2023 Awards Announced
• National and Local Leaders Convene to Discuss Transportation Safety
• Map of the Month: Explore Sales Trends Across Utah's Local Economies
• FY 2023 RAISE Discretionary Grant Application: First/Last Mile Connections
• Government Affairs Update
• Shape the Future of West Jordan & Midvale TRAX Station Areas
• Midvale Urban Design Street Plan
• From Our Partners
• Move Utah Summit



Transportation and Land Use Connection (TLC) 2023 Awards Announced

From Perry to Draper, and many points in between, the TLC Program was pleased to announce the 2023 awarded projects at our Regional Growth Committee Meeting on March 16th. TLC partners including WFRC, Salt Lake County, Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), and Utah Transit Authority (UTA) awarded technical assistance for planning to 13 projects. The project list includes ordinance updates, active transportation plans, city center plans and more. 

This year's total TLC program funding awarded approximately $2.1 million from the intergovernmental partnership, with local matches equaling approximately $260,000, for a total region-wide funding amount of $2.4 million - a record high, reflecting the significant demands growth is placing on our communities. Notably, three awarded projects--Cottonwood Heights Town Center Master Plan, Davis County Active Transportation Plan, and Morgan City Downtown Plan and Development Standard and Parks and Trails Plan--were supplemented through a partnership with Intermountain Healthcare to create healthy communities and help communities enhance their public assets.

The TLC program provides technical assistance to local communities to help them achieve their goals and plan for growth. The program helps communities address housing and economic development challenges, reduce traffic on roads, and enable more people to easily walk, bike, and use transit. This approach is consistent with the Wasatch Choice Vision and helps residents living throughout the region enjoy a high quality of life through enhanced mobility, better air quality, and improved economic opportunities. Accomplishments of past TLC projects can be found in report cards prepared each year. Communities interested in future opportunities through the TLC program are encouraged to apply for 2024 funding when Letters of Intent are accepted beginning in September 2024. Until then, the TLC program encourages potential applicants to brainstorm projects around the region.

National and Local Leaders Convene to Discuss Transportation Safety

On Monday, March 27, 2023, Robin Hutcheson, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Administrator along with local officials and representatives from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC), the Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT), the Utah Transit Authority (UTA), and other USDOT agencies convened to discuss transportation safety in Utah. The past two years have seen some of the highest number of fatalities on our roadways, and safety is a top priority of national, state, and local leaders and transportation officials. 

Together the group considered Utah's safety challenges, discussed solutions, and forged relationships that will allow Utah to address them collaboratively. Part of the discussion included the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) planning grants, of which both Wasatch Front Regional Council (WFRC) and Mountainland Association of Governments (MAG) are recipients. On Feb. 1, 2023, U.S. Department of Transportation announced $800 million in grant awards for 510 projects through the first round of funding for the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant program.

Explore Sales Trends Across Utah's Local Economies

Taxable sales and accompanying sales tax revenues help fund everything from public services to road projects and transit operations. With the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic behind us, local economies and regional taxable sales patterns are moving toward 'new normal' levels. 

WFRC's March Map of the Month compares year-to-year taxable sales between 2015 and 2022, using data from the Utah State Tax Commission (USTC), for mid and large-sized cities. This new dashboard is an upgrade to our previous COVID-era taxable sales map, so you can view these trends in a more interactive fashion. 

There's lots of insight to be harvested from the taxable sales data published by the Utah State Tax Commission – What sectors make up the largest share of sales for specific cities? How are online sales impacting the traditional retail and entertainment sectors? What's the relationship between city growth and tax revenues in different parts of the region? New data-filtering capabilities and interactive charts allow you to quickly uncover answers to questions like these and more.

WFRC plans to update this map as USTC releases data for future years. An extended dataset going back to 1998 is available for download in the upper right corner of the map. Have a question about the WFRC region? Drop us a line at analytics@wfrc.org.

FY 2023 RAISE Discretionary Grant Application: First/Last Mile Connections

The Utah Department of Transportation applied for a FY 2023 RAISE Discretionary Grant in collaboration with the Utah Transit Authority, Wasatch Front Regional Council, and Mountainland Association of Governments. The First/Last Mile Connections: Improving Communities’ Quality of Life through Access to Opportunities and Healthy Transportation Connections Project will make 15 critical active transportation improvements to serve 10 light rail stations and 13 bus stops.

An initial list of over 700 potential first/last mile projects across the Wasatch Front were considered for inclusion in the grant. These projects were sourced from those unfunded from the FY 2015 TIGER Grant application, as well as recent local and regional active transportation plans. Projects then underwent a series of screening, which ultimately resulted in 15 projects totaling $30.6 million.

STATE & LOCAL

The Utah Legislature adjourned sine-die around 10 PM on Friday, March 3rd as the marathon 45-day Legislative Session came to an end. At its close, the Legislature had passed a record number of 575 bills, and appropriated a $29.4B state budget for fiscal year 2024. CLICK HERE FOR OUR 2023 LEGISLATIVE WRAP UP where you can find appropriation highlights and descriptions, as well as a number of brief summaries (and detailed fact sheets) of significant legislation that passed related to growth, infrastructure, and transportation. You can also refer to our full WFRC 2023 Bill Tracker that shows which bills passed and which did not, as well as our WFRC 2023 Appropriations Tracker which shares funding details on some notable appropriations. Overall, it was a successful legislative session in preparing for Utah’s growth challenges with another record year of significant investment in transportation, water, housing, and other infrastructure needs.  

As quickly as it was over, however, the work will soon begin again as the legislature will meet monthly during the interim period. Starting in May, lawmakers will meet and study various policy topics as they prepare for the next legislative session. Simultaneously, the Unified Economic Opportunity Commission will also kick off their interim studies during this time. WFRC and our partners will continue to engage in these forums, as we have done in the past, and will keep you apprised of any meaningful outcomes.  

FEDERAL

We are in year two of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act implementation, and discretionary grant opportunities continue to flow out. USDOT recently hosted a webinar on preparing for federal grant applications, highlighting resources available to help potential grant applicants navigate these opportunities. You can find recordings and more resources under the DOT Navigator Webpage. A few grant programs you may want to consider include:

• Charging and Fueling Infrastructure: This USDOT discretionary Grant Program is to aid in strategically deploying electric vehicle charging and alternative fueling infrastructure in places people live and work. This program provides community charging and fueling grants, and alternative fuel corridor grants. States, MPOs, and local governments are eligible for these grants. The notice of funding opportunity can be found HERE.
• Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Thriving Communities: The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released the application for the new Thriving Communities technical assistance program. This program aims to help local governments, especially those serving disadvantaged communities, coordinate housing needs with transportation and infrastructure investments. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, starting March 15, 2023. For more information, review the Notice of Funding Opportunity.

Shape the Future of West Jordan & Midvale TRAX Station Areas

The cities of Midvale and West Jordan are collaborating to create a Station Area Plan for the Bingham Junction, Historic Gardner, and West Jordan City Center TRAX Redline stations. This project will result in a new vision for the areas surrounding these stations - communities that are well-connected and have a variety of uses, such as housing, shopping, recreation, and office space. And they want your input! If you live, work, shop, recreate, or spend time near these stations for any other reason, check out the project website to learn about opportunities for involvement! Going on now through April 12th, take the survey (English or Spanish) to give the project team your thoughts on the future of these station areas!

Utah’s transit system is a valuable resource, and our input as riders is an important part of the Utah Transit Authority’s planning and service development. UTA has three Change Days a year; they update services based on ridership, performance, budget, and public opinion, among other factors. The public comment period for August Change Day 2023 is now open. Make your voice heard at rideuta.com/aug2023.

Move Utah Summit Wednesday, May 24

As the only event of its kind in Utah, the Summit brings together hundreds of subject-matter experts, including planners, engineers, health practitioners, community advocates, business leaders, and policymakers. 

How we plan and build our communities has a direct effect on our health and well-being. The Summit provides an opportunity to discuss best practices for improving decision-making related to health, transportation, and land use. Don't miss this opportunity to collaborate with hundreds of involved stakeholders regarding how to make our communities active, healthy, and connected!

Register TODAY for only $40! Early-bird registration ends SOON on Friday, April 7, at 5 P.M MST. Following this timeline, general admission will be available for $60.